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The use of CAM products, practices, and practitioners by long-term endometrial cancer survivors in Australia

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Abstract

Background

The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) has been reported to be frequent and increasing in the general population and among cancer survivors. Very few studies have investigated the use of CAM among long-term endometrial cancer survivors. To address this gap in evidence, this qualitative study aimed to understand the use of CAM and factors motivating the use among long-term survivors of endometrial cancer.

Methods

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 women diagnosed with endometrial cancer 7–10 years previously, to understand their CAM use and its impact on their wellbeing. Thematic analysis was performed by two researchers to extract the most relevant quotes related to CAM products, practices, and practitioners.

Results

All 17 women interviewed used some type of CAM practices, practitioners, or products, specifically 94% concentrated on their diet, 88% focused on their exercise, 59% used a CAM product, 53% visited a CAM practitioner, and 18% used a CAM psychological approach. The main motivators for CAM use included to reduce physical and psychological symptoms, and to stop or reduce medications. Women reported a lack of lifestyle advice from their traditional medical healthcare team which they therefore tried to obtain from other sources.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest CAM practices, practitioners, or products form an important part of women’s healthcare options and are commonly used by long-term endometrial cancer survivors. Our data can be of importance to health care professionals and hospitals, as it reflects an unfulfilled need among cancer survivors that does not currently appear to be met by their traditional healthcare team.

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Funding

Monika Janda was funded by NHMRC Translating Research into Practice fellowship APP1151021. This project was part of LACE trial which was funded by the Cancer Council Queensland, the Cancer Council New South Wales, the Cancer Council Victoria, and the Cancer Council Western Australia; by project grant 456110 from the National Health and Medical Research Council, project grants 631523 and 1098905 from Cancer Australia, and a Smart health research grant from QLD Health; and funding from the Women and Infants Research Foundation, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation, Wesley Research Institute, Gallipoli Research Foundation, Gynetech, Tyco Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson Medical, Hunter New England Centre for Gynaecological Cancer, Genesis Oncology Trust, and the Cherish Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Lucy Caughey, Saira Sanjida & Monika Janda

  2. Centre for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Andreas Obermair

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  1. Lucy Caughey
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  2. Saira Sanjida
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  3. Andreas Obermair
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  4. Monika Janda
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Contributions

Conception and design: MJ, AO

Qualitative interview analysis: SS, LC, MJ

Drafting of manuscript: LC, SS, MJ

Critical revision and final approval of manuscript: All authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Monika Janda.

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Caughey, L., Sanjida, S., Obermair, A. et al. The use of CAM products, practices, and practitioners by long-term endometrial cancer survivors in Australia. Support Care Cancer 28, 5479–5489 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05404-1

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