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Research: RISBERG and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 37
Abstract
RISBERG and colleagues, Institute of Community Medicine, and Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Tromso, Norway. studied the pattern of use of alternative medicine, called nonproven therapy (NPT) used by cancer patients during a 5-year period, and the relationship between the use of NPT and their survival
Background
Methodology
The authors conducted a questionnaire-based follow-up study at the Department of Oncology, University of Tromso from 1990-96. 252 patients replied to the first questionnaire from July 1990-July 1991. Eligible patients were sent follow-up questionnaires following 4, 12, 24 and 60 months. An interview conducted over the telephone following the last follow-up questionnaire showed that there was minimal disagreement with the information collected regarding the number of patients who were reported as using NPT.
Results
The number of patients reporting to have ever used NPT within each cross-sectional part of the study varied between 17.4%-27.3%. The estimated cumulative risk of being a user of NPT during the follow-up period was 45%. 74% of NPT users in the northern Norwegian study population used faith healing or healing by hand (spiritual NPT) alone or in combination with other forms of NPT. The proportion of patients using spiritual versus nonspiritual forms of NPT remained consistent throughout the follow-up period. Women were more frequent users than men (50% versus 31%). Patients older than 75 years of age rarely used NPT. Patients with a high educational level had a borderline higher 5-year survival rate compared with patients with less education.
Conclusion
These results demonstrate that cross-sectionally designed studies will underestimate the number of ever-users of NPT within a cancer patient population. The use of NPT does not influence observed survival rates among cancer patients in Northern Norway.
References
Risberg T et al. Cancer patients use of nonproven therapy: a 5-year follow-up study. J Clin Oncol 16(1): 6-12. Jan 1998.
Comment
The language used - cumulative risk of being a user of NPT - suggests that the authors are not in favour of cancer patients using any methods other than conventional. And it must be borne in mind that survival using conventional treatment is not exactly outstanding either. Additionally, it does seem unusual that the only therapies mentioned involved healing and did not include nutrition, herbs or acupuncture.
