Prevalence and expectations of "alternative and complementary medicine" use during radiotherapy in 2016: A prospective study

Cancer Radiother. 2018 Oct;22(6-7):682-687. doi: 10.1016/j.canrad.2018.06.016. Epub 2018 Sep 6. []. [Article in French] Dupin C1, Arsène-Henry A2, Charleux T3, Haaser T4, Trouette R5, Vendrely V6. Author information 1 Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital Haut-Lévêque, CHU de Bordeaux, avenue Magellan, 33600 Pessac, France. Electronic address: charles.dupin@chu-bordeaux.fr. 2 Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, institut Curie, 26, rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France. Electronic address: alexandre.aah@gmail.com. 3 Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital Haut-Lévêque, CHU de Bordeaux, avenue Magellan, 33600 Pessac, France. Electronic address: thomas.charleux@chu-bordeaux.fr. 4 Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital Haut-Lévêque, CHU de Bordeaux, avenue Magellan, 33600 Pessac, France. Electronic address: thibaud.haaser@chu-bordeaux.fr. 5 Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital Haut-Lévêque, CHU de Bordeaux, avenue Magellan, 33600 Pessac, France. Electronic address: renaud.trouette@chu-bordeaux.fr. 6 Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital Haut-Lévêque, CHU de Bordeaux, avenue Magellan, 33600 Pessac, France. Electronic address: veronique.vendrely@chu-bordeaux.fr. Abstract PURPOSE: Alternative and complementary medicine is defined as any substance or technique of non-allopathic medicine used to improve health and quality of life. The purpose of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the use of alternative and complementary medicine during radiotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire was given the last week of treatment to all patients treated for breast cancer, prostate cancer or head and neck cancer in our centre in 2016. RESULTS: In 2016, 132 patients were included. Fifty-seven patients (43%) used alternative and complementary medicine during radiotherapy, more women (61%) than men (35%) (P=0.005). The use of alternative and complementary medicine varied according to locations: 44% of head and neck cancers, 57% of breast cancers and 24% of prostate cancers, but sex was the confounding factor. If alternative and complementary medicine was used before radiotherapy, 82% of patients used it during treatment, compared to 30% if they were naive (P<10-7). Healing touch (68%), homeopathy (26%) and magnetisers (21%) were the most used alternative and complementary medicines. Sixty-one percent of patients used alternative and complementary medicine to reduce skin and mucosal side effects of treatments, 28% to improve well-being, and 9% to treat cancer. Seventy-two percent of all patients would advise their loved one to use an alternative and complementary medicine and 87% would like information about them in the hospital. CONCLUSION: Alternative and complementary medicines are used more by women, and by patients who used them before radiotherapy. The desired effects are mainly to reduce the side effects of the treatments. More than 80% of patients, whether or not they use alternative and complementary medicine, demand medical information. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. KEYWORDS: Alternative and complementary medicine; Epidemiology; Homeopathy; Homéopathie; Médecines alternatives et complémentaires; Soins de support; Supportive care; Épidémiologie PMID: 30197027 DOI: 10.1016/j.canrad.2018.06.016