| 1. |
- Molassiotis, A., et al.
(författare)
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Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with gynecological cancers in Europe
- 2006
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Ingår i: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1048-891X .- 1525-1438. ; 16:Suppl. 1, s. 219-224
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present study was to assess the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) specifically in women with gynecological cancer. The design of the study was of a descriptive cross-sectional survey using a 27-item questionnaire. The study was conducted in 11 countries in Europe as part of a larger project. Data were available from 72 gynecological cancer patients. Among the participants, 40.3% used CAM after the diagnosis with cancer. The most popular CAM modalities used were herbal medicine (34.5%), relaxation techniques (21.4%), and vitamins/minerals (20.7%). A very high level of satisfaction with CAM use was reported. Patients used CAM to increase the body's ability to fight the cancer or to improve physical and emotional well-being. The main sources of information about CAM were informal (friends/ family or the media). It is important to discuss CAM use with gynecological cancer patients, as they frequently use it and such use may have implications for clinical practice.
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| 2. |
- Molassiotis, A., et al.
(författare)
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Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with head and neck cancers in Europe
- 2006
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cancer Care. - : Blackwell Publishing. - 0961-5423 .- 1365-2354. ; 15:1, s. 19-24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present study was to examine the patterns of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in a sample of head and neck cancer patients, forming part of a larger study. A cross-sectional survey design was used collecting data through a descriptive 27-item questionnaire in nine countries in Europe. The participants were 75 patients with head and neck cancers. The prevalence rate of CAM use was 22.7%. The most common therapies used were herbal medicine (47%), medicinal teas (23.5%), use of vitamins/minerals (11.8%) and visualization (11.8%). Use of CAM dramatically increased after the diagnosis with cancer (i.e. eightfold increase in the use of herbs). A profile of CAM users was not evident in this sample. Patients used CAM for a variety of reasons together, with counteracting the ill effects from cancer and its treatment being the most common one. Information about CAM was obtained mostly from friends and family. As one in five head and neck cancer patients use CAM it is important that clinicians explore practices with their patients, improve communication about CAM with them and assist those who want to use CAM in using appropriate and safe therapies.
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| 3. |
- Molassiotis, A., et al.
(författare)
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Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients : a European survey
- 2005
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Ingår i: Annals of Oncology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0923-7534 .- 1569-8041. ; 16:4, s. 655-663
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The aim of this study was to explore the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer patients across a number of European countries.Methods: A descriptive survey design was developed. Fourteen countries participated in the study and data was collected through a descriptive questionnaire from 956 patients.Results: Data suggest that CAM is popular among cancer patients with 35.9% using some form of CAM (range among countries 14.8% to 73.1%). A heterogeneous group of 58 therapies were identified as being used. Herbal medicines and remedies were the most commonly used CAM therapies, together with homeopathy, vitamins/minerals, medicinal teas, spiritual therapies and relaxation techniques. Herbal medicine use tripled from use before diagnosis to use since diagnosis with cancer. Multivariate analysis suggested that the profile of the CAM user was that of younger people, female and with higher educational level. The source of information was mainly from friends/family and the media, while physicians and nurses played a small part in providing CAM-related information. The majority used CAM to increase the body's ability to fight cancer or improve physical and emotional well-being, and many seemed to have benefited from using CAM (even though the benefits were not necessarily related to the initial reason for using CAM). Some 4.4% of patients, however, reported side-effects, mostly transient.Conclusions: It is imperative that health professionals explore the use of CAM with their cancer patients, educate them about potentially beneficial therapies in light of the limited available evidence of effectiveness, and work towards an integrated model of health-care provision.
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