The Use of Complementary Therapies in Cancer Patients

Abstract

Objectives: A study was designed to measure the frequency of complementary therapy (CT) usage in cancer patients in southeastern Turkey. The demographic characteristics associated with the use of CT are sought in patients undergoing or following conventional treatment. Methods: A descriptive survey was performed in a total of 560 cancer patients. Questionnaire-based measures of demographics, expectations, and effects of using different types of CT and perceived benefits were recorded. Result: Demographic characteristics (age, gender, education status, etc.) did not differ among CT users and non-CT users. Three hundred ten patients (55.4%) had used at least one type of CT since the time of the initial diagnosis of cancer. The most frequently used CT method was herbal therapy, and the most commonly used herb was the stinging nettle. The source of information about CT was mainly from friends/family, whereas physicians and nurses played a small part in providing CT-related information. The majority of the patients used CT to benefit more from medical treatment. Only 20.7% of the patients considered themselves not benefiting from using CT. Conclusions: Currently more than half of Turkish patients with cancer use CT in addition to the standard medical approaches. CT usage is not associated with any specific demographic variables. Health professionals should not disregard the reality of CT usage in cancer patients. Because the majority of cancer patients use CT regardless of the medical advice, randomized clinical trials are needed to explore risks and benefits associated with CT modalities in cancer.