Prevalence of complementary medicine use in a phase 1 clinical trials program: the MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience. Cancer 2011 Nov 15;117(22):5142-50
Date
05/04/2011Pubmed ID
21538342DOI
10.1002/cncr.26164Scopus ID
2-s2.0-80555150818 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 50 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: A key end point of early cancer clinical trials is the assessment of toxicities and their possible association with new experimental drugs. Therefore, the concurrent use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in patients with advanced malignancies seen in a dedicated phase 1 clinic was evaluated.
METHODS: An investigator-designed survey was anonymously completed by patients seen in the phase 1 clinic. Pharmacologic CAM included any oral, topical, or intravenous agent, including vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products. Nonpharmacologic CAM included prayer, meditation, hypnosis, massage, and acupuncture.
RESULTS: Of the 404 patients approached about completing the CAM survey, 394 (98%) agreed to respond, and 309 (78%) surveys were returned. Of those 309 patients, 162 (52%) used 1 or more CAM. Of the 162 CAM users, 77% utilized pharmacologic CAM, 71% used nonpharmacologic CAM, and 48% used both modalities. The most frequent CAM used were vitamins (70%), prayer (57%), and herbal products (26%). CAM utilization was not significantly associated with race, age, level of education, employment, or income level but was used more by women than men (P < .01). There was no statistically significant association between the use of CAM and quality of life as perceived by patients. Of the CAM users, 43% of patients had been using CAM for >5 years. Only 5% reported having side effects from using CAM, whereas 23% did not fully disclose their CAM use to their physicians.
CONCLUSIONS: CAM usage is common in patients with advanced malignancies seen in a phase 1 clinic.
Author List
Naing A, Stephen SK, Frenkel M, Chandhasin C, Hong DS, Lei X, Falchook G, Wheler JJ, Fu S, Kurzrock RAuthor
Razelle Kurzrock MD Center Associate Director, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Clinical Trials, Phase I as TopicComplementary Therapies
Dietary Supplements
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms
Prevalence
Quality of Life
Surveys and Questionnaires