Gül KANYILMAZ, Müge AKMANSU, Hüseyin BORA, Eda YİRMİBEŞOĞLU ERKAL

The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Cancer Patients Treated with Radiotherapy

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use (2) the characteristics of CAM users, (3) patients’ source of information about CAM, (4) pa tients’ perceived attitude of their physician regarding CAM use, and (5) the association between CAM use and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). METHODS This descriptive-cross section study was conducted between June 2007 and December 2007. Three-hun dred and six patients were asked to complete a questionnaire about the use of CAM along with HADS. RESULTS The prevalence of CAM use among cancer patients treated with radiotherapy was 35%. The patients with severe anxiety score were more likely to use CAM than the others. The younger age were found as predict ing variables for CAM use. Majority of user patients wanted to add CAM to conventional therapies. CONCLUSION Oncologist might be aware of the CAM issue and talk to their patients about the use of CAM. The docu mentation of CAM use in the medical history might be advised at the time of initial consultation in ra diotherapy centers. Although CAM use is a method that patients want to use in addition to conventional treatments, it is not clear that these methods can be used together safely. It is thought that there is a need for prospective and innovative studies in modern oncology centers.

PDF

___

1. Klafke N, Eliott JA, Wittert GA, Olver IN. Prevalence and predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by men in Australian cancer out patient services. Ann Oncol 2011;5:1–8.
2. Martin RK, Ian MH, Sabe SS, Beverley DG. Com plementary and alternative medicine use in cancer: A systematic review. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2019;35:33–47.
3. Markus H, Gerd B, Gabriele D, Danuta L, Erik R, Mar cel Z. How many cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine: A systematic review and metaanalysis. Integr Cancer Ther 2012;11(3):187–203.
4. Korkmaz M, Tavsanli NG, Ozcelik H. Use of comple mentary and alternative medicine and quality of life of cancer patients: Turkish samples. Holist Nurs Pract 2016;30(2):88–95.
5. Zöhre I, Özgür T, Hilal Ö, Derya DU. Use of comple mentary and alternative medicine and quality of life of cancer patients who received chemotherapy in Turkey. Complement Ther Med 2019;44(4):143–50.
6. Algier LA, Hanoglu Z, Ozden G, Kara F. The use of complementary and alternative (non-conventional) medicine in cancer patients in Turkey. Eur J Oncol Nurs 2005;9(2):138–46.
7. Ayfer BC, Ayse CA, Sevgin SB. The use of complemen tary and alternative medicine among lymphoma and cancer patients with a solid tumor: Oncology clinics at Northern and Southern Turkey. Complement Ther Med 2019;47:102173.
8. Inanc N, Sahin H, Cicek B, Tascı S. Use of herbs or vitamin/mineral supplements by patients with cancer in Kayseri, Turkey. Cancer Nurs 2006;29(1):17–20.
9. Can G, Erol O, Aydiner A. Quality of life and comple mentary and alternative medicine use among cancer pa tients in Turkey. Eur J Oncol Nurs 2009;13(4):287–94.
10.Deng GE, Cassileth BR, Cohen L, Gubili J, Johnstone PA, Kumar N, et al. Integrative oncology practice guidelines. J Soc Integr Oncol 2007;5(2):65–84.
11.Ernst E, Armstrong NC. Lay books on complemen tary/alternative medicine: A risk factor for good health. Int J Risk Saf Med 1998;11:209–15.
12.Hubner J, Muenstedt K, Muecke R, Micke O, Stoll C, Kleeberg UR, et al. Counseling cancer patients on com plementary and alternative medicine. Background, theory, and implementation of nationwide counseling facilities. Strahlenther Onkol 2013;189(8):613–7.
13.Maguire P. Managing psychological morbidity in can cer patients. Eur J Cancer 2000;36(5):556–8.
14.Linden W, Vodermaier A, MacKenzie R, Greig D. Anx iety and depression after cancer diagnosis: Prevalence rates by cancer type, gender, and age. J Affect Disord 2012;141(2–3):343–51.
15.Molassiotis A, Panteli V, Patiraki E, Ozden G, Platin N, Madsen E, et al. Complementary and alterna tive medicine use in lung cancer patients in eight European countries. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2006;12(1):34–9.
16.Gage H, Storey L, Mcdowell C, Maguire G, Williams P, Faithfull S, et al. Integrated care: Utilisation of com plementary and alternative medicine within a con ventional cancer treatment centre. Complement Ther Med 2009;17(2):84–91.
17.Rakovitch E, Pignol JP, Chartier C, Ezer M, Verma S, Dranitsaris G, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine use is associated with an increased percep tion of breast cancer risk and death. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2005;90(2):139–48.
18.Hyodo I, Amano N, Eguchi K, Narabayashi M, Iman ishi J, Hirai M, et al. Nationwide survey on comple mentary and alternative medicine in cancer patients in Japan. J Clin Oncol 2005;23(12):2645–54.
19.Zigmond AS, Snaith RP. The Hospital anxiety and de pression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1983;67(6):361–70.
20.Tatsumara Y, Maskarinec G, Shumay DM, Kakai H. Religious and spiritual resources, CAM, and conven tional treatment in the lives of cancer patients. Altern Ther Health Med 2003;9(3):64–71.
21.Molassiotis A, Fernadez-Ortega P, Pud D, Ozden G, Scott JA, Panteli V, et al. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: A European Survey. Ann Oncol 2005;16(4):655–63.
22.Wanchai A, Armer JM, Stewart BR. Complementary and alternative medicine use among women with breast cancer: A systematic review. Clin J Oncol Nurs 2010;14(4):E45–55.
23.Kristoffersen AE, Fonnebo V, Northeim AJ. Do can cer patients with a poor prognosis use complementary and alternative medicine more often than others? J Al tern Complement Med 2009;14:1115–20.
24.Adams KE, Cohen MH, Eisenberg D, Jonsen AR. Eth ical considerations of complementary and alternative medical therapies in conventional medical settings. Ann Intern Med 2002;137(8):660–4.
25.Sparreboom A, Cox MC, Acharya MR, Figg WD. Herbal remedies in the United States: Potential ad verse interactions with anticancer agents. J Clin Oncol 2004;22(12):2489–503.
26.Tascilar M, de Jong FA, Verweij J, Mathijssen RH. Complementary and alternative medicine during cancer treatment: Beyond innocence. Oncologist 2006;11(7):732–41.
27.Rockwell S, Liu Y, Higgins SA. Alteration of the effects of cancer therapy agents on breast cancer cells by the herbal medicine black cohosh. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2005;90(3):233–9.
28.Cao P, Selvan SR, Akkol EK, Wang N, Yang H, Cheng X. Complementary and alternative medicine in cancer prevention and therapy. Evid Based Complement Al ternat Med 2015;2015:639372.
29.Roberts CS, Baker F, Hann D, Runfola J, Witt C, McDonald J, et al. Patient-physician communication regarding use of complementary therapies during can cer treatment. J Psychosoc Oncol 2005;23(4):35–60.
30.American Cancer Society. Complementary and Alter native Methods and Cancer. Atlanta, Georgia, United States: American Cancer Society; 2020. Available from: http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandside effects/complementaryandalternativemedicine/com plementaryandalternativemethodsandcancer/index. Accessed Dec 06, 2020.
31.Lettner S, Kessel KA, Combs SE. Complementary and alternative medicine in radiation oncology: Survey of patients’ attitudes. Strahlenther Onkol 2017;193(5):419–25.
32.Health Servıces General Dırectorate. DGCA Tradi tional, Complementary and Functional Medicine Practices Department. Available at: https://tcamanato lia.saglik.gov.tr. Accessed Dec 6, 2021.
33.Wetzel MS, Eisenberg DM, Kaptchuk TJ. Courses in volving complementary and alternative medicine at US medical schools. JAMA 1998;280(9):784–7.
34.Wharton R, Lewith G. Complementary medicine and the general practitioner. BMJ 1986;292(6534):1498– 500.
35.Burstein HJ, Gelber S, Guadagnoli E, Weeks JC. Use of alternative medicine by women with early-stage breast cancer. N Engl J Med 1999;340(22):1733–9.
36.Ganz PA, Desmond KA, Leedham B, Rowland JH, Meyerowitz BE, Belin TR. Quality of life in long-term, disease-free survivors of breast cancer: A follow-up study. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002;94(1):39–49.