ArticleIntegrative cancer therapies
The Introspective Patient Experience of Mistletoe Therapy in Cancer: A Qualitative Study.
Article in Integrative cancer therapies. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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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.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Mistletoe in Cancer Cell Biology: Recent Advances.Current issues in molecular biology · 2025Review
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe introspective experience of cancer patients using mistletoe therapy has received little scientific interest, although it is crucial for a holistic understanding of this therapy. This study contributes to patient-centered research and treatment by documenting the subjective experiences of individuals undergoing mistletoe therapy.
methodsIn this qualitative, explorative study, 20 outpatients with a history of various cancer types were recruited from Arlesheim Hospital (Arlesheim, Switzerland). All patients received subcutaneous mistletoe therapy for at least 2 years (median 7.5 years). Data was collected through 2 semi-structured, in-depth interviews per patient. Qualitative content analysis was applied to examine the data. The individual experience of mistletoe therapy was analyzed in relation to 6 predefined levels of human experience: physical, vital, emotional, mental, spiritual and social. In addition, 3 further aspects, considered as cross-dimensional perspectives, emerged out of the material: warmth, immune strengthening, and general wellbeing.
resultsData analysis revealed considerable heterogeneity among patients' experiences with mistletoe therapy. The importance of specific aspects became apparent, such as increased vitality to manage daily life, greater emotional and mental stability, warmth as a multidimensional phenomenon, feelings of safety and protection through mistletoe therapy, heightened self-awareness and improved self-care, as well as sensations of spiritual connectedness.
conclusionsPrior to this study it had not been shown that cancer patients using mistletoe therapy do have observations on different levels of experience. These results may lead to a deeper understanding of patients receiving mistletoe therapy, enabling them to be supported in a more holistic way both during mistletoe treatment and on their life path. Further investigations into the effects of mistletoe therapy on the emotional, mental, and spiritual level are warranted.
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