Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods and clinical characteristics in cancer patients in southeast of Turkey. A total of 324 patients (173 female) were enrolled to this study. Questionnaire was applied to all patients individually for approximately 15 minutes by a doctor. At least one CAM method was used by 62% (n=201) of the patients. 82.5% (n=166) of patients treated with CAM were using at least one herbal species. Likewise, 40.9% (68/166) of these patients were using herbal mixtures and 39.8% (66/166) of them were using single herbal as nettle (Urtica dioica) or its seed, 19.3 % (32/166) of them were using other herbals. CAM methods were preferred more frequently by the patients with metastatic stage (p=0.005), receiving palliative treatment (p<0.001), chemotherapy (p=0.020), in between 40-60 ages patient groups (p=0.002), and when duration of disease was lengthened (p=0.002). CAM use among cancer patients is quite common. Presence of metastatic cancer at diagnosis, receiving chemotherapy and palliative treatment and long disease duration were found as main associated factors for CAM usage.
Highlights
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is defined as a group of healthcare systems, applications and medical products that are not considered as a part of the conventional medicine (NCCAM, 2010)
One study has demonstrated that 83.3% of patients with cancer used at least one CAM method and 62.6% of these patients referred to vitamins and herbal products (Mary, 2000)
This interest is pronounced in cancer patients
Summary
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is defined as a group of healthcare systems, applications and medical products that are not considered as a part of the conventional medicine (NCCAM, 2010). Complementary medicine describes treatment methods that are used in addition to conventional treatments, while alternative medicine involves treatments that are used instead of standard medical treatments (Catherine, 2011). Patients use alternative methods, such as special diets, various herbal mixtures, vitamins, and methods of traditional eastern and western medicine, mind-body interventions. Studies revealed that a majority of cancer patients, in particular, referred to CAM methods. One study has demonstrated that 83.3% of patients with cancer used at least one CAM method and 62.6% of these patients referred to vitamins and herbal products (Mary, 2000). In a study in Turkey, use of CAM was 87%, herbal medicine usage was 62% (Meryem, 2007)
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