Not all cancer patients with an interest in CAM are the same. Differences between patients with a CAM interest prior to the cancer diagnosis and those with first-time interest since diagnosis

Abstract

Objectives: The aim was to assess differences in age, gender, education and personality (Big Five) between cancer patients already interested in CAM prior to the diagnosis and cancer patients only interested in CAM since their diagnosis.

Design: 323 members of the support and information platform "Lebenshaus e.V." with gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST), renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and sarcomas participated in an online survey.

Main outcome measures: Interest in CAM prior to cancer diagnosis, CAM interest since diagnosis, CAM use and disclosure of CAM use to doctors.

Results: 39% were already interested in CAM before the diagnosis and 40.6% were first interested in CAM after their diagnosis. 44.9% stated a current/past CAM use. Female gender and high education were significant predictors for interest in CAM before the diagnosis and general CAM use. The Big Five did not become significant predictors. Predictors were different for patients interested in CAM before the diagnosis and patients only interested since the diagnosis. Sarcoma patients were significantly more likely to be interested in CAM after the diagnosis than patients with GIST. Disclosure of CAM use could not be predicted by sociodemographic variables and personality.

Conclusion: Known predictors for interest in CAM such as female gender, higher education and younger age do not seem to apply in cancer patients with no prior CAM affinity. This result together with a high CAM prevalence raises the importance of addressing CAM in all cancer patients for a need-oriented treatment and to avoid side effects and interactions with conventional treatment.

Keywords: CAM; Cancer; Complementary medicine; Disclosure; Personality.