Complementary and alternative medicine for cancer patients: results of the EPAAC survey on integrative oncology centres in Europe

Rossi, Elio; Vita, Alessandra; Baccetti, Sonia; Stefano, Mariella Di; Voller, Fabio; Zanobini, A

doi:10.1007/s00520-014-2517-4

Cited by 91 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Fixed integrative medicine protocols are used by 70.2% of European integrative oncology centers [2]. These protocols may pave the way for reproducible clinical trial protocols.…”

Section: Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Homeopathy: Curative, Concurrent and Supportive Cancer Treatment Potential

Nwanodi¹

2017

J Integr Oncol

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Background: Homeopathy is used by 12 to 24% of European cancer patients, representing 40.4% of patients at European integrative cancer centers. In 2011, a Swiss literature review on homeopathy led to homeopathic treatment coverage in the Swiss national health insurance program. Homeopathy for curative pediatric cancer treatment is limited to 7.4% in the Netherlands, but, 76.5% of German parents will use homeopathy as part of their children's cancer treatment. The purpose of this paper is to determine what is needed for homeopathy to play a larger role in curative, concurrent, and supportive cancer treatment.

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“…Fixed integrative medicine protocols are used by 70.2% of European integrative oncology centers [2]. These protocols may pave the way for reproducible clinical trial protocols.…”

Section: Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Homeopathy is used by 12 to 24% of European oncology patients, representing 40.4% of patients at European integrative oncology centers [1,2]. In 2011, a Swiss review of the literature on homeopathy led to homeopathic treatment coverage in the Swiss national health insurance program [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Homeopathy: Curative, Concurrent and Supportive Cancer Treatment Potential

Nwanodi¹

2017

J Integr Oncol

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“…Upon cancer diagnosis patients are interested in conventional and integrative therapies [2]. Post cancer diagnosis, 17% of Italian, 27% of Austrians, 35.9% of Europeans overall, 44% of German gynecologic cancer, 47.2% of Canadian, and 50% of German breast cancer patients use integrative medicine therapies [2][3][4][5][6]. Consistent with this, integrative gynecologic cancer treatment is regarded as reasonable by 44.5%, and practiced by 24.2% of 310 Hessian region ObGyns who responded to a survey at an educational meeting [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Time from diagnosis had an n shaped association with integrative cancer treatment [11]. Herbal and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM; excluding acupuncture) are received by 74.5% of patients at European integrative oncology centers [6]. Among Italian cancer patients as few as 38.3% currently and as many as 84.2% previously used nutraceuticals comprised of diet, dietary supplements, and herbs [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutraceuticals: Curative Integrative Cancer Treatment

Nwanodi¹

2017

Altern Integr Med

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Statement of Purpose: Although 75% of breast cancer patients may use integrative medicine, only 11.5% earlystage breast cancer patients believe integrative medicine has anticancer activity. The gap in users of and firm believers in integrative medicine indicates a need to increase awareness of integrative medicine's applicability to curative cancer treatment. As diet, nutraceuticals, and traditional Chinese medicine are used by up to 82% of cancer patients who use integrative medicine, this paper focuses on nutraceuticals. As female cancer patients are most likely to use integrative medicine, nutraceuticals specific to breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer are reviewed.Methods: PubMed searches in September 2016 and January 2017, and accompanying hand searches were performed for English language, free full text articles published from 2012 onwards. Search terms were combinations of the key words: Homeopathy, phytochemicals, breast cancer, cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, cancer, prevention, treatment. Curative nutraceutical treatments were taken from these searches. Supplemental hand searches were performed as needed. Findings:Integrative nutraceutical therapies are based on biologic plausibility. Individual nutraceuticals are frequently comprised of numerous phytochemical types, and have multiple mechanisms of action. Agonistantagonist mechanisms are not exclusive to phytoestrogens, complicating which derivative or whole nutraceutical to use. Research on breast and cervical cancer inhibitors has seemingly outpaced that for endometrial and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer inhibitors include terpenes, isoflavones, organosulphurs, organoselenium compounds, and withanolides. Conclusion and Significance:Potential nutraceutical candidates for curative cancer treatment abound. Discerning which constituents, which extraction method, and which delivery method to use for an efficacious treatment is an essential, lengthy process. If nutraceuticals such as limonene and Kahalalide F move forward to Phase III trials a nutraceutical cancer treatment pipeline may be established. Withaferin-A and derivatives for breast and ovarian cancer appear to be the leading gynecologic cancer nutraceutical drug candidates.

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“…In the US, homeopathy is part of the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) accounting for a $9 billion market each year [1], with over five million adults and one million children using homeopathy annually [2]. Among the 236 European centers that provide integrative oncology services in the public health system, homeopathy is one of the leading CAM therapies [3]. However, most patients would not discuss their CAM needs or use with their conventional health professionals due to concerns about health professionals' lack of knowledge or interest or fear of negatively impacting their relationship with their health professionals [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%