Use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with cancer in Occidental, Mexico.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used by pediatric cancer patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Western Mexico.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional survey, parents were interviewed and types of CAM employed as well as factors related to their use and their perceived effectiveness were determined.


RESULTS
One hundred ten parents of pediatric cancer patients completed the survey. Seventy-seven patients (70%) received CAM. Of CAM used, herbal remedies (69%) and orally administered products (26%) were most common. Mean number of therapies was 2 +/- 1.1 (95% CI 1.59-2.12). Prior CAM use by the family was associated with use in patients (P = 0.006) (OR 4.6, CI 95% 1.7-12.9). Perceived usefulness was reported in 79% of CAM users.


CONCLUSIONS
CAM use in Mexican children is common, most frequently with herbal therapies. The majority perceived benefits with its usage but in most cases, the treating physician was not informed about this practice.
Gomez-Martinez
Ricardo
R
Hematology and Oncology Department, UMAE, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. ricardo_gomezmartinez@yahoo.com.mx
Tlacuilo-Parra
Alberto
A
Garibaldi-Covarrubias
Roberto
R
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends