Video: More hospitals offering cancer patients integrative care

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Standard treatments for cancer include chemotherapy, surgery or radiation. But now more and more hospitals are also offering complementary care to their patients. This represents a big shift in philosophy, but is there enough science to back it up?

After her youngest daughter was born, Gloria Cotaquispe was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer.

"That was kind of a shock, adjusting to having a C-section, a newborn, and being diagnosed with colon cancer," said Cotaquispe.

Despite 10 months of chemo, her cancer spread to her liver, lungs and ovaries.

"I wanted to hear, 'You're going to get better' or 'You're going to have a chance to get better,' but I didn't hear that at all," said Cotaquispe.

Then she was offered an integrative plan that combines the best of complementary and standard medicine.

"This approach is a very active approach," said Dr. Peter Tothy, integrative medical oncologist. "We ask a lot of patients."

Radiation, surgery and chemotherapy are all used, but so are massage, individualized diet plans, exercise and yoga, all done while patients get their standard treatments. Cotaquispe first had surgery, an option not offered by other doctors, then chemo. She's also changed her diet - no sugar, meat or dairy.

"The change is really, to me, dramatic," said Cotaquispe. Her last scan shows the spots on her liver are shrinking and the spots on her lungs are gone.

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Gloria Cotaquispe was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer.

"For the first time, I feel like a normal 27-year-old should feel who has two young children," she said.

There is growing scientific evidence to back up the use of complementary treatments. Research shows that massage can help with pain and anxiety. A 2006 study from Fred Hutchinson found that regular exercise can prevent colon cancer, at least in high risk men. And today those researchers are looking at the benefits of yoga for breast cancer survivors.

Fred Hutchinson is now recruiting women for a study to test the effectiveness of diet and exercise to prevent breast cancer. If you've had non-invasive breast cancer, you might still be eligible to participate.