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Abstract
There are few studies examining complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and beliefs among non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors. Seven hundred and nineteen patients with NHL from the University of Iowa/Mayo Clinic Molecular Epidemiology Resource who completed the 3-year post-diagnosis questionnaire were included in this study. Altogether 636 (89%) reported ever using CAM, with 78% utilizing vitamins, 54% alternative therapies and 45% herbals. Female gender was associated with increased overall CAM use (p = 0.0001) as well as use of vitamins (p = 0.0001), herbals (p = 0.006) and alternative therapy (p = 0.0002) for cancer. Older age (> 60) was associated with increased vitamin use (p = 0.005) and decreased herbal use (p = 0.008). Among users, 143 (20%) believed CAM assists healing, 123 (17%) believed CAM relieves symptoms, 122 (17%) believed CAM gives a feeling of control, 110 (15%) believed CAM assists other treatments, 108 (15%) believed CAM boosts immunity, 26 (4%) believed CAM cures cancer and 36 (5%) believed CAM prevents the spread of cancer.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by NIH Lymphoma SPORE (CA P50 CA97274); Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery; and the Arnold and Kit Palmer Benefactor Award.
Potential conflict of interest:
Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at www.informahealthcare.com/lal.