Abstract
BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Emerging evidence suggests that integrative oncology approaches may provide survival benefits when combined with conventional treatments. This study examines whether an integrative oncology treatment plan incorporating modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT) improves survival in GBM patients. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from GBM patients treated at the Integrated Health Clinic (IHC) between 2010 and 2024. Survival outcomes were compared between IHC patients receiving adjuvant integrative naturopathic therapies and a matched control group from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, and Cox proportional hazard models were conducted to assess survival differences. Secondary analyses evaluated the impact of treatment timing (≤120 days vs >120 days post-diagnosis) and age on survival. RESULTS: The integrative treatment cohort demonstrated a lower hazard of mortality than the SEER group (HR = .72, 95% CI: .53-1.00, P-value = .05). The treatment benefit was greater among IHC patients who started treatment within 120 days of diagnosis (HR = .52, 95% CI: .33-.83, P-value = .006) and those under age 50 (HR = .51, 95% CI: .31-.85, P-value = .009). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that an integrative naturopathic approach incorporating mEHT may improve survival outcomes in GBM patients. Patients initiating integrative treatment earlier experienced a greater survival benefit, as did patients under 50 years of age. Further studies, ideally prospective randomized controlled trials, are warranted to validate these findings.