Trial reportThe oncologist2020
Homeopathic Treatment as an Add-On Therapy May Improve Quality of Life and Prolong Survival in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Three-Arm, Multicenter Study.
Trial report in The oncologist, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It has been retracted, and should not be counted. It is linked to trial NCT05833165 (Feasibility of Integrating Homeopathic Approach in a Comprehensive Cancer Center), which is not on this map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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.
Feasibility of Integrating Homeopathic Approach in a Comprehensive Cancer Center
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 61 citations in OpenAlex.
- Homeopathy effects in patients during oncological treatment: a systematic review.Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology · 2023Pooled it
- Improved quality of life and prolonged survival with add-on homeopathic treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, three-arm, multicenter study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Trial
- Attention Dysregulation in Breast Cancer Patients Following a Complementary Alternative Treatment Routine: A Double-Blind Randomized Trial.Integrative cancer therapiesTrial
- Trials and tribulations of responsible people trying to uphold scientific standards.Research integrity and peer review · 2026Article
- Clinical trial results: each patient's participation should count.The oncologist · 2025Article
- Dynamized ultra-low dilution ofCell adhesion & migration · 2023Article
- Individualised Homeopathic Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting in the First Trimester and of COVID-19 in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy-A Case Report.Homeopathy : the journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy · 2022Article
- Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Oncology.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Review
- [How is evidence-based medicine defined? Homeopathy-a therapeutic option in medical practice!]HNO · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
- Retraction · 2025-11-24Concerns/Issues about Article · Investigation by Company/Institution · Investigation by Journal/Publisher · Investigation by Third Party · Objections by Author(s) · Unreliable Results and/or Conclusions · Upgrade/Update of Prior Notice(s) ·
- Correction · 2024-09-24Concerns/Issues about Data · Error in Text · Investigation by Journal/Publisher · Investigation by Third Party · Updated to Retraction · Upgrade/Update of Prior Notice(s) ·
- Correction · 2021-03-03Error in Text · Updated to Expression of Concern · Updated to Retraction ·
- Expression of concern · 2022-10-31Concerns/Issues about Data · Investigation by Journal/Publisher · Updated to Correction · Updated to Retraction · Upgrade/Update of Prior Notice(s) ·
- Erratum issued
- Erratum issued
- Expression of concern
- Retracted
Authors and funding
16 authors at 11 institutions in 7 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
lessons learnedConventional medicine and homeopathy work well together. Quality of life improves with additive homeopathy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Survival improves with additive homeopathy in patients with NSCLC.
backgroundPatients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have limited treatment options. Alongside conventional anticancer treatment, additive homeopathy might help to alleviate side effects of conventional therapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether additive homeopathy might influence quality of life (QoL) and survival in patients with NSCLC.
methodsIn this prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, three-arm, multicenter, phase III study, we evaluated the possible effects of additive homeopathic treatment compared with placebo in patients with stage IV NSCLC, with respect to QoL in the two randomized groups and survival time in all three groups. Treated patients visited the outpatients' centers every 9 weeks: 150 patients with stage IV NSCLC were included in the study; 98 received either individualized homeopathic remedies (n = 51) or placebo (n = 47) in a double-blinded fashion; and 52 control patients without any homeopathic treatment were observed for survival only. The constituents of the different homeopathic remedies were mainly of plant, mineral, or animal origin. The remedies were manufactured by stepwise dilution and succussion, thereby preparing stable Good Manufacturing Practice grade formulations.
resultsQoL as well as functional and symptom scales showed significant improvement in the homeopathy group when compared with placebo after 9 and 18 weeks of homeopathic treatment (p < .001). Median survival time was significantly longer in the homeopathy group (435 days) versus placebo (257 days; p = .010) as well as versus control (228 days; p < .001). Survival rate in the homeopathy group differed significantly from placebo (p = .020) and from control (p < .001).
conclusionQoL improved significantly in the homeopathy group compared with placebo. In addition, survival was significantly longer in the homeopathy group versus placebo and control. A higher QoL might have contributed to the prolonged survival. The study suggests that homeopathy positively influences not only QoL but also survival. Further studies including other tumor entities are warranted.
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