Guest Editor’s Note: The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) held its 20th international conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The conference focused on the theme “Integrative Oncology as Standard of Care: The Time Is Now.” The mood was festive, and the weather cooperated with warm temperatures, sunny blue skies, and glorious mountain views. In this article, Dr. Carlson, Dr. Balneaves, and Ms. MacLeod highlight the conference proceedings.
Linda E. Carlson, PhD, RPsych
Lynda G. Balneaves, RN, PhD
Jodi MacLeod, BA
The SIO conference, held between September 14 and 16, 2023, was co-hosted by the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, and the Weil Foundation. Conference sponsors also included the Dr. Rogers Prize, City of Hope, and the Scheidel Foundation. Nearly 300 people from 25 countries gathered in person at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and another 100 joined virtually from 23 countries around the world.
Donald Abrams, MD, of the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health, inaugurated the conference with an outstanding keynote titled, “The Integration of an Oncologist.” It took us on a whirlwind tour of his remarkable career—from an HIV/AIDS researcher and activist to medical cannabis trialist to integrative oncology practitioner. The keynote address was rewarded with a standing ovation for the leadership and contributions of Dr. Abrams to SIO.
Other program highlights included a First Nation’s song from Stoney Nakoda elder Alice Kaquitts and a well-received plenary session on Indigenous traditional medicine and healing. The plenary featured two Indigenous elders who are traditional healers from different First Nations communities: Lea Bill, RN, BScN, and Barbara Fraser, BA (Adv), Med. They shared their wisdom and insights into First Nations healing practices, including protocols for the use of natural medicines in the context of cancer, and how to provide culturally safe care to Indigenous individuals living with cancer.
The session on trauma-informed integrative oncology opened with cancer survivor and patient advocate Vinesha Ramasamy, BComm, sharing her story of being “seen and heard” by her cancer team as a Sri Lankan Tamil Eelam child refugee in Ontario. Canadian researchers Carolyn Shimmin, MA, and Andrea Feldstein, PhD, provided important insights regarding how to determine whether trauma-informed care is needed and what should be the key considerations for oncology professionals. To round out this plenary, Marsha Banks-Harold, BSEE, C-IAYT, TCTSY-F, an electrical engineer, cancer survivor, and trauma-informed yoga therapist, had everyone stand up and join a gentle yoga flow, similar to the one she uses in her work with trauma survivors in emergency departments in Alexandria, Virginia. Moderator Anne Pitman, MSc, C-IAYT, EYRT-500, helped shape this memorable session.
Joint Session on Supportive Care
In a first-time joint session between SIO and the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC), cancer survivor and patient advocate Betsy Glosik, BS, discussed the impact of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy on physical functioning for people with cancer. MASCC President Maryam Lustberg, MD, MPH, updated attendees on the work of MASCC’s neurologic complications study group. Neurorehabilitation expert Lise Worthen-Chaudhari, PhD, MFA, explained why dance, tai chi, and other therapies may help treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and former SIO President, Ting Bao, MD, MS, gave an update on the evidence in support of acupuncture and yoga for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Members of the SIO Clinical Practice Guideline Committee were pleased to share details of the newly published joint SIO-ASCO anxiety and depression guideline, released in August 2023. The plenary session featured Suzanna Zick, ND, MPH; Julie Deleemans, PhD; Dr. Carlson; and Dr. Balneaves. Table 1 offers a summary of the recommendations included in the guideline.
Wellness Sessions and More
Featured throughout the conference were many wellness sessions, including a sold-out forest bathing experience, sunrise hikes up nearby Tunnel Mountain, outdoor tai chi, a Rosh Hashanah–inspired gratitude experience, meditative movement, and morning yoga. Attendees took full advantage of these offerings, which were enhanced by the beautiful natural retreat-like setting of the Banff Centre.
A special theater performance, entitled “every.single.one” by intermedia artist and professor Cherie Sampson, MFA, depicted personal, familial, and community narratives with hereditary cancer while exploring topics of genetics, integrative oncology, and healing from a patient’s perspective. The moving performance incorporated video, soundscapes, and imagery collected by Professor Sampson in a documentary format while undergoing her own treatment for breast cancer in 2017 and 2018.
The scientific program closed with a highly anticipated panel on the use of psychedelics in cancer care. Ron Shore, PhD, set the stage, covering key definitions, uses, and research on these agents in oncology. Then, Lyle Galloway, MD, spoke of his clinical experience offering psychedelic-assisted therapy to people with cancer. The highlight to many was the talk by Purdy MacKenzie, who has lived with metastatic cancer since 2017, and shared her personal journey and experience with psilocybin-assisted therapy to confront end-of-life issues.
We look forward to many more decades of integrative oncology excellence, as the Society fulfills its mission of advancing evidence-based, comprehensive integrative health care to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.
DISCLOSURE: The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
Dr. Carlson is Professor of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, and Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology, Department of Psychosocial Oncology, University of Calgary. Dr. Balneaves is Associate Dean (Research) and Professor, College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba. Ms. MacLeod is a writer, patient advocate, and breast cancer survivor living in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania.
