title: Prevalence of complementary/alternative medicines (CAMs) in a cancer population in northern Italy receiving antineoplastic treatments and relationship with quality of life and psychometric features.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the use of CAM (Complementary/Alternative Medicine) in a population of cancer patients undergoing antineoplastic therapy, and to compare differences in sociodemographics, quality of life, and psychological features between CAM users and non-users.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population was consecutive cancer patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment in three Piedmont cancer centers. Data were collected from anonymous questionnaires investigating CAM use or not, and what type if used, and sociodemographics, and through validated psychometric instruments to assess psychological features: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Mini Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 288 evaluable patients, 52 (18.1%) reported using one or more types of CAM; the most often cited were herbs, special diets and body-based practices, such as plantar reflexology, chiropractic application, and massage. On quality of life assessment, CAM users scored lower than CAM non-users for physical wellbeing (P = 0.006); no significant differences emerged for anxiety and depression and coping styles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAM use is less prevalent in northern Italy than in most other European countries. CAM users were found to have a lower quality of life than CAM non-users.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria San Luigi Gonzaga, Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano (TO), Italy. a.saini@libero.it
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berruti
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Capogna
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Negro
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sguazzotti
authors.forename: Rocco Luigi
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Picci
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Campagna
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dongiovanni
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dogliotti
authors.forename: Pier Maria
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Furlan
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ostacoli
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents