title: Patients' opinion and use of non-proven therapies related to their view on cancer aetiology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to investigate patients' attitudes to and use of nonproven therapies (NPTs) in view of their opinions about causes of cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comparative questionnaire-based study was given to patients with non-malignant disease (n = 305) seen in general practice and cancer patients (n = 252) seen at the Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Tromsø.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among non-cancer patients significantly more NPT-positive than NPT-negative patients considered the environment to be an important cancer cause (74% versus 52%) and that food and drink may be carcinogenic (57% versus 40%). For cancer patients, there was no such difference. 60% of non-cancer patients and 35% of cancer patients believed that life style changes could alter the natural course of cancer. In both groups of patients, the NPT-positive believed, to a higher degree than the NPT-negative, that the outcome of cancer could be improved by a change in life style (69% and 48% versus 53% and 29%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients positive to NPTs have firmer beliefs with respect to the importance of environmental factors than non-believers/-users. Moreover, these patients believed more strongly than NPT-negative patients that change of lifestyle may influence the outcome of cancer positively.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Community Medicine, University Hospital of Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Risberg
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wist
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bremnes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D004032:Diet; D004522:Educational Status; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires