Socio-Demographic and Medical Characteristics of Advanced Cancer Patients Using Conventional or Complementary Medicine

Abstract

Background: To provide prospective comparative data describing the profiles of two patient populations attending conventional or complementary medicine institutions. Patients and Methods: A registration study was set up in an oncology ward at the Institute for Medical Oncology (IMO) of the University Hospital in Bern, and at the Lukas Clinic (LC) for Anthroposophical Cancer Treatment in Arlesheim, Switzerland. The same eligibility criteria were applied to enrol into the study all newly referred or newly diagnosed patients with advanced cancer over a 2-year period. Their socio- demographic and clinical characteristics at presentation have been compared between the two institutions. Results: Patients at LC are primarily females, of higher educational level, and living in an urban environment. Patients at LC are also more frequently of poorer performance status but present with less comorbidity and a longer interval between diagnosis of metastatic disease and accrual into the study. Conclusion: This study suggests that the respective merits of these two schools of medicine can be assessed successfully only through a concrete research partnership based on rigorously controlled clinical trials.

Eurythmy therapy in chronic disease: a four-year prospective cohort study

“…This study confirms previous studies of the characteristics of AM users [15,35-38]: Patients are predominantly middle-aged women or children, education and occupation levels are higher than average, and typical indications are mental and musculoskeletal disorders. Previous studies conducted in inpatient [16-24] and outpatient clinics [24,25] have evaluated AM therapy including EYT for rheumatoid arthritis [16], asthma [24], hepatitis C [17,25], breast cancer [18], anorexia nervosa [19], lumbar disc disease [20], chronic musculoskeletal pain [21], and in the rehabilitation after stroke [22] and myocardial infarction [23].…”

Palliative In-Patient Cancer Treatment in an Anthroposophic Hospital: II. Quality of Life during and after Stationary Treatment, and Subjective Treatment Benefits*

“…HADS, although being a valid and frequently used screening tool for affective disorders in the palliative setting [66,67], is seldom used to study treatment effects [68,69], and SELT-M has so far only been used in an adjuvant, out-patient setting [70]. Altogether, specific therapy elements but also the relatively high sociodemographic status of this cohort [25] and the expectations of these patients in AM [14] may have facilitated the effects on emotional and cognitive-spiritual QoL. Among social QoL dimensions, the scores for 'social functioning' but not for 'social support' improved significantly.…”

Prospective Controlled Cohort Studies on Long-Term Therapy of Breast Cancer Patients with a Mistletoe Preparation (Iscador®)

“…The second feature might present a solution to a problem well known among investigators of mistletoe therapies, in particular Iscador therapy [6,7]: At least in German-speaking countries, female patients are well informed about different options of complementary therapy and have often made up their mind concerning these before they are even asked to participate in a study. Furthermore, many patients who use mistletoe therapy are highly motivated and of a different socioeconomic, educational and medical background than patients who use only conventional treatment [8]. Therefore, classical randomized trials cannot be performed easily because of recruitment problems [7,9], or do not represent the population that uses mistletoe therapy in the first place [10].…”