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About OCCAM

About Us

The Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) is an office of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis. OCCAM is responsible for NCI’s research agenda in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as it relates to cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and symptom management.

OCCAM Mission

To improve the quality of care of cancer patients, as well as those at risk for cancer and those recovering from cancer treatment, by contributing to the advancement of evidence-based CAM practice and the sciences that support it as well as the availability of high-quality information for the health care community, researchers, and public.

NCI CAM History

The NCI has a long history demonstrating its interest in the scientific evaluation of complementary and/or alternative approaches in cancer. As early as the 1940s and through the 1970s, the NCI evaluated information about practices such as the Gerson regimen, Hoxsey herbal therapy, and the use of Laetrile in the treatment of cancer. In 1991, the NCI established its Best Case Series review program to evaluate case reports of potential new cancer treatment from CAM domains. Examples of topics that came through this program include antineoplastons and the Kelly/Gonzalez Regimen.

As a result of the interest in CAM within the NCI, the Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) was created by NCI senior leadership in 1998. OCCAM was established to coordinate and enhance activities of the NCI in CAM research as it relates to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, cancer-related symptoms and side effects of conventional cancer treatment.

1998 to 2008

  • Dr. Jeffrey D. White named OCCAM’s director
  • NCI Best Case Series Program transitioned from Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program to OCCAM
  • Established CAM Cancer Research Interest Group
  • Established Cancer CAM Invited Speaker Series open to the NIH community
  • Published Letter RFA (Request for Applications) to provide supplemental funding to NCI Cancer Centers for CAM projects
  • Established supplement program for Community Clinical Oncology Program
  • Held Methodology Working Group on CAM Symptom Management Research in Cancer meeting
  • Published first program announcement, Developmental/Pilot Projects in Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) (PA-02-040)
  • Funded first international CAM research center grant R21 awarded to The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the Cancer Hospital, Fudan University in Shanghai, China
  • Held first grant writing workshop on cancer and CAM
  • Provided programmatic support for the First International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology
  • Held first major conference, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Cancer Research: Fostering Collaboration; Advancing the Science
  • Published first NCI Annual Report on CAM
  • Published first issue of newsletter NCI CAM News
  • Began hosting monthly lectures given by NCI grantees and scientists conducting research in cancer CAM
  • Developed Cancer CAM Research Funding Directory to help researchers identify potential funding sources for cancer CAM research projects
  • Transitioned from the NCI’s Office of the Director to the NCI Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis
  • Held conference on developing successful research collaborations on cancer CAM, Cancer Researchers and CAM Practitioners: Fostering Collaboration; Advancing the Science
  • Co-sponsored the first annual NIH Yoga Week with other federal agencies
  • Worked with NCI’s Natural Products Branch to establish a collaboration with the Kunming Institute of Botany to perform screening of natural products for anticancer activity
  • Published “Survey of Cancer Researchers Regarding Complementary and Alternative Medicine” in the Journal of the Society of Integrative Oncology

Role within NCI

  • Encourages collaborations between cancer researchers and CAM practitioners through lectures, conferences, and workshops.
  • Identifies gaps in existing cancer CAM research and creates funding opportunities to increase the number of high-quality studies on this topic.
  • Provides expert review of CAM content on behalf of NCI for Institute-supported projects and programs Research Priorities.
  • Identifying novel therapeutics in the pharmacopeia of traditional medical systems as defined by the World Health Organization.
  • Using complementary approaches to improve the therapeutic ratio of standard and investigational anti-cancer therapies.
  • Research on lifestyle modifications (e.g., diet, exercise, mind-body approaches) for their impact on cancer outcomes (e.g., response to conventional cancer therapy, survival).

Research Priorities

  • Identifying novel therapeutics in the pharmacopeia of traditional medical systems as defined by the World Health Organization.
  • Using complementary approaches to improve the therapeutic ratio of standard and investigational anti-cancer therapies.
  • Researching lifestyle modifications (e.g., diet, exercise, mind-body approaches) for their impact on cancer outcomes (e.g., response to conventional cancer therapy, survival).

Research Activities

OCCAM conducts research through several methods, which include surveys, focus groups, and textual analysis. At this time, OCCAM does not conduct clinical or basic research but does sponsor both types extramurally (conducted outside NIH) and intramurally (conducted at NIH).

OCCAM’s Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA) fellows learn about NCI CAM projects and the field of cancer CAM research through activities such as presenting reviews of research articles at journal club and assisting with research for office projects. They attend lectures relevant to CAM, cancer, and other topics of interests at NIH and attend scientific conferences held by non-NIH organizations. OCCAM CRTA fellows conduct literature review projects on cancer-CAM topics of interest and draft a paper on that body of literature for publication in a peer reviewed journal. They also have the opportunity to shadow physicians at the Pain and Palliative Care Clinic at the NIH Clinical Center, which allows them to observe the integration of CAM into clinical practice.

OCCAM is one of many offices within NCI. NCI is one of twenty-seven Institutes and Centers, which make up NIH; National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is another. OCCAM is focused exclusively on CAM as it relates to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer; NCCIH conduct and support research and provide information about complementary health products and practices.

Office of the Director

Functions

  • Supports the mission and activities of OCCAM's programs, coordinates strategic planning, and manages the office budget
  • Provides expertise to NCI offices and programs for activities that involve CAM research or information products
  • Responds to inquiries from the media, Congress, and other organizations

Major Activities

  • Protocol and Survey Development
  • Development of Program Announcements and Request for Application
  • Intern/fellow training in CAM research
  • Organization of Conferences and Workshops
  • International Collaborations

Extramural Research Program

Functions

  • Supports the mission and activities of OCCAM's programs
  • Provides expertise to NCI offices and programs for activities that involve CAM research or information products
  • Development of Program Announcements and Requests for Application

Major Activities

  • Intern/fellow training in CAM research
  • Organization of Conferences and Workshops
  • International Collaborations

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