Annals of Oncology Advance Access first published online on February 2, 2005
This version published online on February 3, 2005
Annals of Oncology, doi:10.1093/annonc/mdi110
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1 School of Nursing, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Background: The aim of this study was to explore the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer patients across a number of European countries. Methods: A descriptive survey design was developed. Fourteen countries participated in the study and data was collected through a descriptive questionnaire from 956 patients. Results: Data suggest that CAM is popular among cancer patients with 35.9% using some form of CAM (range among countries 14.8% to 73.1%). A heterogeneous group of 58 therapies were identified as being used. Herbal medicines and remedies were the most commonly used CAM therapies, together with homeopathy, vitamins/minerals, medicinal teas, spiritual therapies and relaxation techniques. Herbal medicine use tripled from use before diagnosis to use since diagnosis with cancer. Multivariate analysis suggested that the profile of the CAM user was that of younger people, female and with higher educational level. The source of information was mainly from friends/family and the media, while physicians and nurses played a small part in providing CAM-related information. The majority used CAM to increase the body's ability to fight cancer or improve physical and emotional well-being, and many seemed to have benefited from using CAM (even though the benefits were not necessarily related to the initial reason for using CAM). Some 4.4% of patients, however, reported side-effects, mostly transient. Conclusions: It is imperative that health professionals explore the use of CAM with their cancer patients, educate them about potentially beneficial therapies in light of the limited available evidence of effectiveness, and work towards an integrated model of health-care provision.
Received June 17, 2004
Revised November 5, 2004
Accepted November 15, 2004
Original article
Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: a European survey
2 Institut Català Oncologia ICO, Barcelona, Spain
3 Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
4 Gazi University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
5 Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
6 Greek Oncology Nursing Society and Ag. Anargiri Hospital, Athens, Greece
7 Zurich University Hospital, Poliklinik Onkologie, Zurich, Switzerland
8 Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
9 Università degli Studi di Milano-Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
10 Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
11 Oncology Department, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
12 Department of Education, Institute for Oncology and Radiology, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
13 Belgian Society of Oncology Nursing, Brussels, Belgium
14 Department of Oncology, Lanspitali, Reykjavik, Iceland
15 Department of Oncology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
16 School of Health Sciences, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey
17 Greek Oncology Nursing Society and Department of Nursing, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
A. Molassiotis, E-mail: alex.molassiotis{at}manchester.ac.uk
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