Pattern of use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia.

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e19525-e19525
Author(s):  
Abdelmuniem Al-Dalee ◽  
Ali Husain Aljubran
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Conventional Therapy ◽  
Spiritual Healing ◽  
Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Cam Use ◽  
Religious Nature

e19525 Background: Use of complementary alternative medicine CAM is prevalent among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia. However, there is yet no clear knowledge about the pattern and magnitude of use of CAM. This study explored that area. Methods: The subjects were adult cancer patients who attended the outpatient clinics at King Faisal cancer center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They completed a validated questionnaire of six sections. In this abstract, we only present the data of the fourth section which enquires about the pattern of CAM use. Ingestion or topical application of therapeutic materials as well as recitation of prayers or attending spiritual sessions are all considered CAM. Results: 234 patients participated. Age range: 15-86, median: 40.5 y. Males were 61.5%. 12.4% lived in suburban areas. 41.5% had higher than high school education, and 76% had annual income less than $32,000. 53% of the studied population used CAM before starting conventional therapy, and 47% of them were actually on CAM while on conventional therapy. Honey, whether mixed with herbs or not, was the most commonly used (84% before and 86% after starting conventional therapy). 92% used the holly Quran recitation or Ruqia (Recitation of special prayers). 53 % went at least once to attend a session with a sheikh (spiritual/ religious healer), and 9% of the responding participants attended sessions to undo magic or expel jinn (possessing demon spirit). 92% of CAM users believed that conventional therapy is effective but wanted to try other possible options. Conclusions: Use of CAM is prevalent among cancer patients before starting and while on conventional therapy. Because of the religious nature of the society, attending spiritual healing sessions is very common. Since this study was done among patients who already had chosen to be treated by conventional therapy, the results may under estimate the prevalence of CAM use. A similar study in the community is recommended to include patients who do not seek conventional treatments.

scholarly journals The trends of complementary alternative medicine use among cancer patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Rahman Jazieh ◽  
Khadega A. Abuelgasim ◽  
Husam I. Ardah ◽  
Mohammad Alkaiyat ◽  
Omar B. Da’ar
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Cam Use ◽  
The Individual

Abstract Background The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common among cancer patients and it may reflect the individual and societal beliefs on cancer therapy. Our study aimed to evaluate the trends of CAM use among patients with cancer between 2006 and 2018. Methods We included 2 Cohorts of patients with cancer who were recruited for Cohort 1 between 2006 and 2008 and for Cohort 2 between 2016 and 2018. The study is a cross-sectional study obtaining demographic and clinical information and inquiring about the types of CAM used, the reasons to use them and the perceived benefits. We compared the changes in the patterns of CAM use and other variables between the two cohorts. Results A total of 1416 patients were included in the study, with 464 patients in Cohort 1 and 952 patients in Cohort 2. Patients in Cohort 2 used less CAM (78.9%) than Cohort 1 (96.8%). Cohort 1 was more likely to use CAM to treat cancer compared to Cohort 2 (84.4% vs. 73%, respectively, p < 0.0001,); while Cohort 2 used CAM for symptom management such as pain control and improving appetite among others. Disclosure of CAM use did not change significantly over time and remains low (31.6% in Cohort 1 and 35.7% for Cohort 2). However, physicians were more likely to express an opposing opinion against CAM use in Cohort 2 compared to Cohort 1 (48.7% vs. 19.1%, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion There is a significant change in CAM use among cancer patients over the decade, which reflects major societal and cultural changes in this population. Further studies and interventions are needed to improve the disclosure to physicians and to improve other aspects of care to these patients.

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

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.

scholarly journals Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use at a Comprehensive Cancer Center

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianlai Luo ◽  
Gary N. Asher
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Comprehensive Cancer Center ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Medicine Use ◽  
Energy Medicine ◽  
Cam Use ◽  
After Cancer ◽  
Oncology Providers

Background. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common among cancer patients, but the majority of CAM studies do not specify the time periods in relation to cancer diagnoses. We sought to define CAM use by cancer patients and investigate factors that might influence changes in CAM use in relation to cancer diagnoses. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adults diagnosed with breast, prostate, lung, or colorectal cancer between 2010 and 2012 at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Questionnaires were sent to 1794 patients. Phone calls were made to nonrespondents. Log binomial/Poisson regressions were used to investigate the association between cancer-related changes in CAM use and conversations about CAM use with oncology providers. Results. We received 603 (33.6 %) completed questionnaires. The mean age (SD) was 64 (11) years; 62% were female; 79% were white; and 98% were non-Hispanic. Respondents reported the following cancer types: breast (47%), prostate (27%), colorectal (14%), lung (11%). Eighty-nine percent reported lifetime CAM use. Eighty-five percent reported CAM use during or after initial cancer treatment, with category-specific use as follows: mind-body medicine 39%, dietary supplements 73%, body-based therapies 30%, and energy medicine 49%. During treatment CAM use decreased for all categories except energy medicine. After treatment CAM use returned to pretreatment levels for most CAMs except chiropractic. Initiation of CAM use after cancer diagnosis was positively associated with a patient having a conversation about CAM use with their oncology provider, mainly driven by patient-initiated conversations. Conclusions. Consistent with previous studies, CAM use was common among our study population. Conversations about CAM use with oncology providers appeared to influence cessation of mind-body medicine use after cancer diagnosis.

Assessment of cancer patients of the local patient’s support organizations and the available sources of the patient’s health education: Local perspectives from Saudi Arabia.

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e19526-e19526
Author(s):  
Ravichandran Kandasamy ◽  
Abdelmuniem Al-Dalee ◽  
Ali Husain Aljubran
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Support Organizations ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
The Family

e19526 Background: Few Local patients’ support organizations are available for cancer patients in Saudi Arabia. These non governmental organizations NGOs were recently founded to provide social, financial, logistic and educational support to cancer patients. Their role and participation to the cancer patient’s care is not well estimated. On the other hand, Health education is imperative. However, there is yet no clear estimation of the adequacy and quality of the available local sources for cancer health education. This study was intended to show the cancer patient’s assessment of the available resources of support and health education to cancer patients. Methods: The subjects were adult cancer patients who attended the outpatient clinics at King Faisal cancer center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They completed a validated questionnaire of six sections. In this abstract, we only present the data of the fifth and sixth sections. The fifth is regarding patient’s impression about the support provided by the family and society. The sixth is about the patient’s sources of information and education about their diseases. Results: 234 patients participated. Age range: 15-86, median: 40.5 y. Males: 61.5%. 12.4% from suburban areas. 41.5% had higher than high school education, and 76% had annual income <$32,000. 90% of the participating patients evaluated the family support as full support. However, 92% did not receive any support from the NGOs, and 54% were not aware that such organizations exist. Only 20% of those who suffered psychological/ psychiatric changes actually did ask for help. Regarding the patient’s use of the available sources of health education, 77% received education other than that provided directly by physicians. 45% had more information about their conditions from educational brochures and health magazines and only 33% sought more information from the internet. Conclusions: The cancer patient’s assessment of the role and participation of the NGOs is generally poor. Majority of patients were able to have more information about their conditions through different means. The use of internet is relatively inadequate.

Complementary/Alternative Medicine Use in a Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Implications for Oncology

2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 2505-2514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Ann Richardson ◽  
Tina Sanders ◽  
J. Lynn Palmer ◽  
Anthony Greisinger ◽  
S. Eva Singletary
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Spiritual Practices ◽  
Comprehensive Cancer Center ◽  
Complementary Alternative Medicine ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Cam Use

PURPOSE: Oncologists are aware that their patients use complementary/alternative medicine (CAM). As cancer incidence rates and survival time increase, use of CAM will likely increase. This study assessed the prevalence and predictors of CAM use in a comprehensive cancer center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Subjects were English-speaking cancer patients at least 18 years of age, attending one of eight outpatient clinics at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, between December 1997 and June 1998. After giving written informed consent, participants completed a self-administered questionnaire. Differences between CAM users and nonusers were assessed by χ2 and univariate logistic regression analysis. A multivariate logistic regression model identified the simultaneous impact of demographic, clinical, and treatment variables on CAM use; P values were two-sided. RESULTS: Of the 453 participants (response rate, 51.4%), 99.3% had heard of CAM. Of those, 83.3% had used at least one CAM approach. Use was greatest for spiritual practices (80.5%), vitamins and herbs (62.6%), and movement and physical therapies (59.2%) and predicted (P < .001) by sex (female), younger age, indigent pay status, and surgery. After excluding spiritual practices and psychotherapy, 95.8% of participants were aware of CAM and 68.7% of those had used CAM. Use was predicted (P < .0001) by sex (female), education, and chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: In most categories, CAM use was common among outpatients. Given the number of patients combining vitamins and herbs with conventional treatments, the oncology community must improve patient-provider communication, offer reliable information to patients, and initiate research to determine possible drug-herb-vitamin interactions.

Perception and reaction of cancer patients to the diagnosis of cancer and their attitude towards disclosure of diagnosis: Local perspective from Saudi Arabia.

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e19524-e19524
Author(s):  
Ali Husain Aljubran ◽  
Ravichandran Kandasamy ◽  
Abdelmuniem Al-Dalee
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
National Debate ◽  
Disclosure Of Diagnosis ◽  
Diagnosis Of Cancer ◽  
Patient’S Perception ◽  
Age Range

e19524 Background: Understanding the attitudes of cancer patients towards different cancer related issues is important for care delivery. However, in Saudi, there is yet no clear knowledge about the patient’s perception of cancer diagnosis or preferences regarding the disclosure of information. This study explored that area. Methods: The subjects were adult cancer patients who attended the outpatient clinics at King Faisal cancer center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They completed a validated questionnaire of six sections. In this abstract, we present the data of the first three sections: The first section is about the sociodemographic characteristics, the second explores the patient’s perception and reaction to the diagnosis, and the third enquires about the patient’s preference regarding the disclosure of diagnosis. Estimated sample size: 225. Results: 234 patients participated. Age range: 15-86, median: 40.5 y. Males: 61.5%. 12.4% from suburban areas. 41.5% had higher than high school education. 76% had annual income < $32,000. Regarding of what they thought to be the cause of their cancers, 42.4% thought that someone’s envy or eye of evil was the cause, and 11.7% thought it was environmental, while 44.2% could not attribute to any cause. About the disclosure of diagnosis, 34.5% were not the first to know about the diagnosis. However, 78% thought that no one should know about the diagnosis before the patient, but 33.5% agreed that family may know at the same time. For decision making, 40% wanted to take decision by themselves, while 52.4% wanted the family to participate in making decisions. Conclusions: In contrast to the public attitude regarding the disclosure of diagnosis, this study shows that majority of cancer patients believed that no one should know about the diagnosis before themselves. This result will help the current national debate. Also, it shows large proportion of patients believe of a metaphysical etiology for their diseases, which may affect their choices and directions. A similar study in the community is recommended to include patients who do not seek conventional treatments.

scholarly journals The impact of COVID 19 pandemic on pattern of cancer mortality in Najran, Saudi Arabia: a single-cancer center experience

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed M Badheeb ◽  
Mohamed A Badheeb ◽  
Hamdi A Alhakimi
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cancer Mortality ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Anti Cancer ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: The aim of this paper is to compare the patterns and determinants of cancer mortality in Najran region before and after the COVID-19 epidemics. The association between cancer mortality and each of age, sex, site of cancer, stage, and the 30-days survival rate after the last dose of chemotherapy were assessed.Materials & Methods: Adult cancer patients who died of cancer in King Khalid Hospital in Najran Saudi Arabia, were included in this retrospective observational study. We compared mortality patterns in a period of 6 months in 2020 (March to August) with the corresponding period of 2019.Results: 50 dead adult cancer patients were included, 24 in 2019 and 26 in 2020. Among them, 21% vs 42% were younger than 65 years of age; 61% vs 62% were males, for the years 2019 & 2020 respectively. The top three killers in 2019 were colorectal, gastro-esophageal cancers, and hepatocellular carcinoma, while in 2020 were colorectal, hepatocellular carcinoma, and lymphomas. About 16.7% of patients died within 30 days of receiving anti-cancer treatment in 2019 in comparison with 7.7% in 2020. The difference in the 30-days mortality after receiving anti-cancer treatment was not statistically significant between 2019 and 2020 (p = 0.329).Conclusion: The Year 2020, the time of the COVID-19pandemic, was not associated with a significant increase in short-term mortality among patients with malignancy in Najran, Saudi Arabia. Our results generally reflect the crucial role of strict preventive national measures in saving lives and warrants further exploration.

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