title: Does use of alternative medicine delay treatment of head and neck cancer? A surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) cancer registry study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer treatment is controversial. The aim of the study was to assess whether CAM use was associated with a delay in the initiation of conventional cancer treatment for head and neck cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  CAM usage data were collected by mailed questionnaire for 149 incident head and neck cancer patients who were identified through the Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System. Time from cancer diagnosis to the start of conventional cancer treatment was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall 79% of the subjects reported use of at least 1 of the CAM items asked in the questionnaire. The time to conventional cancer treatment did not differ by prior CAM use intended to treat cancer (p =.209).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present registry-based study do not suggest that alternative therapy use in patients with head and neck cancer delays conventional cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 110 E Warren Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, USA. katoi@karmanos.org
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Anne Victoria
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Neale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D018426:SEER Program; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology