Use of complementary and integrative medicine among German breast cancer patients: predictors and implications for patient care within the PRAEGNANT study network.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aims to analyze a cohort of advanced breast cancer patients in Germany to assess their interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and patient's use of most frequent CAM methods.


METHODS
Based on the PREGNANT real-time breast cancer registry which is a multicenter study in Germany, questionnaires of 580 patients with advanced breast cancer were evaluated. The implemented questionnaire for CAM asked for general interest in CAM and for patient's use of different CAM methods at present and in the past. The interest and application of CAM were analyzed for association with patients' characteristics such as tumor, patient, and therapy characteristics.


RESULTS
In total, 436 out of 580 (75%) patients claimed to be interested in CAM. Further, interest in CAM is significantly correlated with younger age and absence of metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Multivariate analysis confirmed the patient's age and distant disease status at the time of diagnosis as related to interest in CAM. A total of 56.4% of patients applied any CAM method in the past. Moreover, with increasing lines of therapies, the more frequent use of CAM was observed. Hereby, praying, vitamin supplements, and other food supplements were most frequently applied.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate high overall interest and frequent use of CAM in advanced breast cancer patients supporting a strong demand of breast cancer patients for complementary counseling and treatments additional to the established cancer therapies. It is indispensable to implement counseling and evidence-based complementary treatments into clinical routine of cancer centers and to adapt postgraduate medical education, respectively.
National Center for Tumor Diseases, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Carlo
C
Fremd
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen/European Metropolitan Area Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), INF 440, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Carolin C
CC
Hack
National Center for Tumor Diseases, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Andreas
A
Schneeweiss
Institute of Medical Biometry and Informatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Geraldine
G
Rauch
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Diethelm
D
Wallwiener
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Sara Yvonne
SY
Brucker
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Florin-Andrei
FA
Taran
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Andreas
A
Hartkopf
Outpatient Department of Hematology and Oncology, Recklinghausen, Germany.
Friedrich
F
Overkamp
Onkologie Bethanien, Frankfurt, Germany.
Hans
H
Tesch
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Tanja
T
Fehm
Nordwest Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany.
Peyman
P
Hadji
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Janni
Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumour Immunology Charité, University Hospital, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.
Diana
D
Lüftner
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen/European Metropolitan Area Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), INF 440, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Michael P
MP
Lux
Department of Gynecology, Hamburg-Eppendorf University Medical Center, Hamburg, Germany.
Volkmar
V
Müller
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
Johannes
J
Ettl
Clin-Sol Ltd, Würzburg, Germany.
Erik
E
Belleville
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Christof
C
Sohn
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Florian
F
Schuetz
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen/European Metropolitan Area Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), INF 440, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Matthias M
MM
Beckmann
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen/European Metropolitan Area Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), INF 440, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Peter A
PA
Fasching
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. markus.wallwiener@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
Markus
M
Wallwiener
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003376:Counseling; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D055048:Integrative Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care
Alternative medicine; Breast cancer; Complementary medicine; Integrative medicine; Oncology