ArticleBMC cancer2011
Complementary and alternative medicine use in oncology: a questionnaire survey of patients and health care professionals.
Article in BMC cancer, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
51 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 119 citations in OpenAlex.
- Physicians' Knowledge and Experiences of Counseling on Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine in Cancer Care: a Qualitative Systematic Review.Current oncology reports · 2026Pooled it
- Perception, attitudes, knowledge of using complementary and alternative medicine for cancer patients among healthcare professionals: A mixed-methods systematic review.Cancer medicine · 2023Pooled it
- Acceptance and use of complementary and alternative medicine among medical specialists: a 15-year systematic review and data synthesis.Systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- A systematic review of barriers to optimal outpatient specialist services for individuals with prevalent chronic diseases: what are the unique and common barriers experienced by patients in high income countries?International journal for equity in health · 2015Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Trial
- The effect of complementary and alternative medicine on quality of life, depression, anxiety, and fatigue levels among cancer patients during active oncology treatment: phase II study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2015Trial
- Questionnaire of evaluation of satisfaction and impact of the integrative oncology activities of the Tuscan Regional Health Service addressed to oncologists and health professionals of oncology departments.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- The implementation of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a qualitative study.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Complementary and alternative medicine use among elderly cancer patients: a cross-sectional study in South Korea.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Article
- Reasons for encounter and recommended interventions in an interprofessional integrative oncology counseling program in outpatient care: a mixed-methods analysis of 1,693 consultation letters.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Complementary therapies in early breast cancer: Oncologists' evidence-based decisions in a Southeast European vignette survey.Biomolecules & biomedicine · 2025Article
- Barriers to communication about complementary and alternative medicine between oncology patients and healthcare professionals in Croatia: a cross-sectional study.Korean journal of medical education · 2025Article
- Comparing the Attitudes of Healthcare Professionals and Cancer Patients Toward the Integration and Perceived Effectiveness of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Attitude of healthcare professionals toward the use of complementary and alternative medication during anti-cancer therapy.Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners · 2024Article
- Endorsement of alternative medicine and vaccine hesitancy among physicians: A cross-sectional study in four European countries.Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics · 2023Article
- Traditional and complementary medicine use among cancer patients in Nepal: a cross-sectional survey.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2022Article
- A pre-post evaluation of oncology healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices following the implementation of a complementary medicine practice guideline.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021Article
- Perceptions of homeopathy in supportive cancer care among oncologists and general practitioners in France.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021Article
- Complementary and integrative medicine mention and recommendations: A systematic review and quality assessment of lung cancer clinical practice guidelines.Integrative medicine research · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWe aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use among cancer patients and non-cancer volunteers, and to assess the knowledge of and attitudes toward CAM use in oncology among health care professionals.
methodsThis is a cross-sectional questionnaire survey conducted in a single institution in Ireland. Survey was performed in outpatient and inpatient settings involving cancer patients and non-cancer volunteers. Clinicians and allied health care professionals were asked to complete a different questionnaire.
resultsIn 676 participants including 219 cancer patients; 301 non-cancer volunteers and 156 health care professionals, the overall prevalence of CAM use was 32.5% (29.1%, 30.9% and 39.7% respectively in the three study cohorts). Female gender (p < 0.001), younger age (p = 0.004), higher educational background (p < 0.001), higher annual household income (p = 0.001), private health insurance (p = 0.001) and non-Christian (p < 0.001) were factors associated with more likely CAM use. Multivariate analysis identified female gender (p < 0.001), non-Christian (p = 0.001) and private health insurance (p = 0.015) as independent predictors of CAM use. Most health care professionals thought they did not have adequate knowledge (58.8%) nor were up to date with the best evidence (79.2%) on CAM use in oncology. Health care professionals who used CAM were more likely to recommend it to patients (p < 0.001).
conclusionsThis study demonstrates a similarly high prevalence of CAM use among oncology health care professionals, cancer and non cancer patients. Patients are more likely to disclose CAM usage if they are specifically asked. Health care professionals are interested to learn more about various CAM therapies and have poor evidence-based knowledge on specific oncology treatments. There is a need for further training to meet to the escalation of CAM use among patients and to raise awareness of potential benefits and risks associated with these therapies.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.