Use of complementary or alternative medicine and potential interactions with chronic medications among Chinese survivors of childhood cancer

Integrating Complementary Medicine Into the Care of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Brief Report on the Preliminary Framework and Implementation of an Educational Program

“…Moreover, the needs of survivors of specific cancer types can be considered when developing the educational content. For instance, our team previously found that survivors of CNS tumor were more receptive to non-oral therapies, probably because of their susceptibility to musculoskeletal problems ( 13 ); therefore, educational content for these survivors can focus more on non-oral TCIM modalities such as acupuncture and massage.…”

“…Previous studies have shown that tailoring the education resources based on the patients' preferences and their reasons behind using TCIM can facilitate shared-decision making on this topic ( 27 , 28 ). Our team have previously reported that only a minority of local cancer survivors seek the advice of oncologists before using TCIM ( 13 ). The common reasons given by patients or parents for withholding information on TCIM use from clinicians are their belief that TCIM is safe, a fear of the physician's reaction, a lack of knowledge among medical staff, and that the clinician did not ask ( 29 ).…”

“…The seminars were delivered by registered CM practitioner focusing on the field of integrative oncology. The selection of seminar topics and contents was based on clinical consensus among the study team members and our previous report on the most common TCIM modalities among local cancer survivors ( 13 ).…”

“…Our team previously reported that approximately half of the Chinese survivors of childhood cancer in Hong Kong (52%) have used TCIM, with traditional Chinese medicine (CM) being the most popular modality. However, one-third of the survivors are at risk of drug-TCIM interactions during the concurrent use of TCIM and chronic medications ( 13 ). This highlights the essential need of targeted educational programs to promote the safe and effective use of TCIM modalities for survivors of childhood cancer.…”

Determining the Traditional Methods and Complementary Therapies Used by Parents of Children with Special Healthcare Needs: Descriptive Study

“…[12][13][14][15][16][17] Complementary therapies are most commonly used in children with special healthcare needs. 18,19 Complementary therapies are used in oncology, neurology, cardiology, gastroenterology, respiratory, infantile colic, asthma, allergic rhinitis, nausea, vomiting, pain management, dysmenorrhea, infection, musculoskeletal problems and psychological problems in pediatrics. 18,20,21 According to the World Health Organization, traditional medicine refers to the combination of various health practices and approaches that cover all of the knowledge, skills, and methods that are used in the maintenance, prevention and diagnosis of physical and mental diseases, based on the beliefs and experience of different cultures.…”