Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) by Patients with Myeloma or Lymphoma.

Abstract The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is wide-spread among cancer patients. Few studies have investigated the use of CAM by patients with haematological cancer patients in Europe. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution and patterns of CAM use by patients with myeloma or lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 103 patients with lymphoma and 23 with myeloma (72 male and 54 female) they have responded a questionnaire on diverse aspects of the use of CAM. RESULTS: Ninety-six patients (76.1%) recognize to have used or to use some type or product CAM: Matricaria chamomilla L. (75,3%), Tilia vulgaris (57.4%), green tea (19.8%), Valeriana officinalis L (17.4%), Royal Jelly (17.4%), soya (16.6%), Brewer’s Yeast (7.9%), wheat germ (6.3%), ginseng (6.3%) and aloe vera (6.3%); Cat’s Claw, Hypericum Perforatum (St. John’s Wort), echinacea, grape seed, milk thistle (Carduus marianum), graviola and marijuana (less of 5%). Forty-nine patients (38.8%) recognize to have practiced or to practice oration (23.8%), relaxation (11.9%), oils massages (9.5%), meditation (6.3%), imposition of hands (3.9%) and yoga (3.9%); music therapy, homeopathy, Shiatsu, acupuncture, therapies through of the movement and the dance, guided imagination, psychotherapy, chiropractic and consult with healer (less of 3%). Visualization, hypnosis, biofeedback, chromotherapy, reflexology, or therapies through humour have not talked about or through Internet. They recognize to look for a complement for the traditional medicine (29.6%), to fight the indirect effect (17.4%) or to have control on the own disease (16.6%) not being felt impassive (23.8%); to content the family (3.1%) or to think that its treatment will be faster (21.4%) is other reasons. In 3.9% they tried to replace the traditional medicine. Only the 30.1% “complementary and alternative medicines” knew the meaning the terms. The 62.6% did not know the qualification of the personnel who sells products or applies treatments to him MAC and 36.6% not informs its doctor that take CAM. Sixty-one percent consider that the public system would have to finance this type of practices. COMMENTARIES: This study contributes data on the use of therapies MAC by patients with myeloma or lymphoma in Spain. The professionals we must make the effort necessary to improve our knowledge of the MAC and the formation of the patients; the MAC that demonstrate to their effectiveness and security would have to be able to integrate themselves to the care of the patients.

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Discovering the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Oncology Patients: A Systematic Literature Review

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/6619243 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Fatmah Alsharif

Keyword(s):

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicines ◽

Complementary Medicines ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Alternative Medicines ◽

Complementary And Alternative

Background. Patients with cancer pursue all possible opportunities of effective remedies. In Saudi Arabia, most patients have tried complementary medicine during their cancer treatment plan; however, some complementary medicines might pose a danger to health. In Arab countries, studies regarding the use of complementary medicines and the intentions behind using complementary medicines among cancer patients are inadequate and all but nonexistent. The aim of this review was to focus on demographic, prevalence, and reasons for complementary and alternative medicine use among patients with cancer. Methods. A rigorous literature search was conducted for articles published in the English language, using the search terms “complementary and alternative medicine,” “oncology,” “malignancy” AND “cancer patients” in five scientific databases, namely, Medical Literature On-Line (MEDLINE), PubMed, Web of Science, Psychology Information (PsycINFO), and Google Scholar, from 2010 to 2020. Results. Of the 13,160 studies returned from the search, only 12 were eligible and included in this review. The combined prevalence for using complementary and alternative medicines across all studies totaled 25%–80% of cancer patients for the treatment of their cancers. Natural products, including vitamins and minerals, herbal products, and relaxation, were the most common type of complementary and alternative medicines used. The reason for using complementary and alternative medicines was reported to be their helpfulness in recovering, healing, and improving health. Most of the studies mentioned that participants obtained their complementary and alternative medicines from multiple sources, including the media, family and friends, and physicians. Conclusion. The use of complementary and alternative medicines in cancer patients can be inferred as an attempt to investigate all possibilities, a manifestation of a coping style, or an illustration of unmet desires in the cancer management continuum. Anyhow, there should be adequate communication between healthcare providers and patients, which is crucial for establishing a trusting healthcare provider-patient relationship. Relevance to clinical practice. It is crucial that healthcare providers explore the use of complementary and alternative medicines with their cancer patients, as well as educating them about the possible usefulness of therapies based on the available evidence.

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Traditional and complementary and alternative medicines make for unwilling bedfellows in the management of cancer: a case report with a tragic outcome

The Journal of Laryngology & Otology ◽

10.1017/s0022215111001794 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 125 (11) ◽

pp. 1193-1195 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

A Trinidade ◽

M Shakeel ◽

D Hurman ◽

A Hussain

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicines ◽

The Public ◽

Alternative Medicines ◽

Oral Cavity Carcinoma ◽

Life Saving ◽

Complementary And Alternative

AbstractBackground:Complementary and alternative medicine is very much in the public arena as a treatment option. The pharmacodynamics of most complementary and alternative medicines are not well understood, and some can lead to significant adverse drug interactions. This report aims to present the case of a cancer patient who abandoned traditional medicine in favour of complementary and alternative medicine.Method:Case report.Results:The patient refused potentially curative adjuvant radiotherapy for his oral cavity carcinoma following surgery, and eventually succumbed to disease.Conclusion:Recently, there appears to be much public awareness of and empathy for complementary and alternative medicine. Healthcare professionals should be aware of such therapies so that they can advise their patients in an informed manner. The role of such therapies in benign conditions may not be as critical as that in malignancy, where life-saving conventional treatment may be abandoned in favour of complementary and alternative medicine, with consequent loss of life.

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Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Breast Cancer Patients at a Medical Center in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Integrative Cancer Therapies ◽

10.1177/1534735420983910 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

pp. 153473542098391

Author(s):

Chieh-Ying Chin ◽

Yung-Hsiang Chen ◽

Shin-Chung Wu ◽

Chien-Ting Liu ◽

Yun-Fang Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Medical Center ◽

Cancer Center ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cam Use ◽

Complementary And Alternative

Background Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is becoming more common in medical practice, but little is known about the concurrent use of CAM and conventional treatment. Therefore, the aim was to investigate the types of CAM used and their prevalence in a regional patient cohort with breast cancer (BC). Methods BC patients were interviewed with a structured questionnaire survey on the use of CAM in southern Taiwan at an Integrative Breast Cancer Center (IBCC). The National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) classification was used to group responses. Over a period of 8 months, all patients receiving treatment for cancer at the IBCC were approached. Results A total of 106 BC patients completed the survey (response rate: 79.7%). The prevalence of CAM use was 82.4%. Patients who were employed, were receiving radiotherapy and hormone therapy, and had cancer for a longer duration were more likely to use CAM ( P < .05). Multivariate analysis identified employment as an independent predictor of CAM use (OR = 6.92; 95% CI = 1.33-36.15). Dietary supplementation (n = 69, 82.1%) was the type of CAM most frequently used, followed by exercise (n = 48, 57.1%) and traditional Chinese medicine (n = 29, 34.5%). The main reason for using CAM was to ameliorate the side effects of conventional therapies. Almost half (46.4%) of these CAM users did not disclose that they were using it in medical consultations with their physicians. Most chose to use CAM due to recommendations from family and friends. Conclusion A large portion of BC patients at the IBCC undergoing anti-cancer treatment courses used CAM, but less than half discussed it with their physicians. Given the high prevalence of CAM, it would be justifiable to direct further resources toward this service so that cancer patients can benefit from a holistic approach to their treatment.

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Evidence-based Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine I: History

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1093/ecam/neh106 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 453-458 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Francesco Chiappelli ◽

Paolo Prolo ◽

Olivia S. Cajulis

Keyword(s):

Alternative Medicine ◽

Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽

Traditional Medicine ◽

Western Medicine ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Medical Treatments ◽

Medical Interventions ◽

Philosophical Foundations ◽

Medical Tradition ◽

Complementary And Alternative

Contemporary Western medicine has witnessed a fragmentation of our conceptualization of the medical endeavor into ‘traditional medicine’ and ‘non-traditional medicine’. The former is meant to refer to the Western medical tradition, the latter encompasses both ‘complementary’ and ‘alternative’ medical practices. Complementary medicine complements conventional medical treatments, and alternative modes of medical interventions are meant to replace traditional Western medicine. Evidence-based research must be directed at establishing the best available evidence in complementary and alternative medicine. This paper is the first of a set of four ‘lectures’ that reviews the process of evidence-based research, and discusses its implications and applications for the early decades of the 21st century. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the series by examining some of the historical and philosophical foundations of this research endeavor.

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