Complementary and alternative therapies used by Turkish breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Ruqyah and Its Use among Patients with Cancer

In this article, we reviewed ruqyah from past to present and its use among patients with cancer to attract attention to the importance of ruqyah. Ruqyah, one of the mind–body interventions among complementary and alternative medicine therapies, refers to the healing method based on the Quran and hadith through the recitation of the Quran, seeking of refuge, remembrance, and dua (supplication) that is used as a means of treating sickness and other problems, by reading ayats of the Quran, the names and attributes of Allah, or by using the duas in Arabic or in an understandable language. Ruqyah is frequently used in patients with cancer in combination with medical treatment, and many patients benefit from ruqyah practices. It is usually used to improve emotional and physical well-being, relax, cope with the disease, strengthen the immune system, increase vitality, decrease pain and stress, treat disease, accelerate the healing process, increase the duration of life, improve sleep quality, reduce side effects associated with treatment, and to be self-sufficient. Ruqyah is a complementary method for modern cancer treatment. It is not an alternative to chemotherapy and cannot directly replace medical treatment. Patients can perform ruqyah by themselves without applying to Muslim faith healers or spiritual healing centers. It can be by everyone regardless of their religion and belief. Although ruqyah has been successfully used in various social, mental, spiritual, and physical disorders for over 1,440 years, there are limited randomized controlled trials about its use in patients with cancer due to lack of cooperation between health professionals and Muslim faith healers applying ruqyah. Therefore, we suggest that health professionals develop joint projects and studies with Muslim faith healers and Islamic religion professionals on this subject. Finally, we strongly believe that ruqyah must be integrated into mainstream modern medicine as in the “Malaysia model” in both developing and developed countries.

Cytotoxicity and Anti-cancer Activity of the Genus Achillea L

BACKGROUND

The genus Achillea L. is rich in bioactive sesquiterpenes and flavonoids; most of the studied species exhibit several biological activities and are used as emmenagogue, wound healing and analgesic agents. Some species are also used in local folklore medicine.

OBJECTIVE

Following a literature survey, we discuss the anti-cancer properties of Achillea species, taking into consideration ethnopharmacological data on their use in traditional medicine for the treatment of cancer. In addition, we screened extracts and isolated secondary metabolites from A. coarctata for cytotoxicity, upon information based on local traditional medicine. The plant was collected in Kozani (Northern Greece), where it is locally used for treating gastrointestinal disorders, including stomach cancer.

METHODS

A selection of the relevant data was performed through a search in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Science Direct databases. In addition, extracts and isolated compounds from A. coarctata were tested for their in vitro activity against the human cancer cell lines MCF-7 and HeLa.

CONCLUSION

The genus Achillea L. is a valuable source of bioactive secondary metabolites. The most significant outcome of the investigation of medicinal plants is the documentation and the assessment of the traditional information and its use and perspectives in the light of modern pharmacology.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine among women with breast cancer in Saudi Arabia

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to explore the frequency of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies among women with breast cancer in Saudi Arabia.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used with face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire.

SAMPLE

A convenient sample of 85 Saudi women with breast cancer who were undergoing cancer treatment was recruited from the Oncology Department of King Faisal Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

Using structured questionnaire "Use of Complementary Therapies Survey," consisted of diet and nutritional supplements, stress-reducing therapies, and other traditional treatments.

RESULT

Participants were predominantly married (76.5%), resided in an urban area (83.5%), unemployed (62%), and about half reported no income (49.4%). The mean age was 48 years. All participants reported using at least three or more CAM therapies (mean = 21.15, SD = 8.85) since their diagnosis. There were significant correlations between other CAM use and time since diagnosis (r_s = -0.33, p < .05). The highest usage of dietary and nutritional supplements occurred with honey, olive oil, antioxidants, Fennel flower seeds, and ginger. The highest stress reducing CAM techniques included reading the Holy Qur'ãn, and praying. For other traditional CAM therapies, positive thinking and relaxation techniques were the most frequent methods reported by women. Other CAM treatments involved ZamZam water and listening to music.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of complementary therapies among Saudi women with breast cancer is highly prevalent, with a predominance of interventions of religious background, indicating the strong influence of religion on peoples' lives, especially when people are faced with a life-threatening illness. The results of this study will guide future studies examining the efficacy of CAM on symptom management in Saudi Arabian women with breast cancer and other types of cancer.

Predictors of quality of life among older patients with cancer during treatment

Background

Improving quality of life in older patients with cancer has become an important goal of healthcare providers.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of quality of life among older patients with cancer, aged 60 years and over during the treatment period.

Methods

A descriptive correlational study was conducted among 150 patients. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale, Herth Hope Index and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used.

Results

The results showed that the total quality-of-life mean score was 58.50 (SD = 7.44), indicating low overall quality of life. The social-family well-being subscale had the highest mean (20.50, SD = 3.79) among all subscales of quality of life, while the emotional well-being subscale had the lowest mean (8.06, SD = 4.23). Hope and educational level had statistically significant positive relationships with all subscales of quality of life. However, anxiety was associated negatively with physical, social-family and functional well-being subscales, but positively with the emotional well-being subscale. Anxiety, income, marital status, health insurance, duration of treatment, educational level, gender and hope were identified as predictors of quality-of-life subscales.

Conclusions

The results could help to develop specific programmes that may improve quality of life among older patients with cancer during treatment.

Complementary and Alternative Medicines and Patients With Breast Cancer: A Case of Mortality and Systematic Review of Patterns of Use in Patients With Breast Cancer

Background

The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) is common among women being treated for breast cancer. A recent mortality associated with CAM at our center precipitated a systematic review of the Cochrane, EMBASE, and PubMed databases to identify English manuscripts including "CAM" and "breast cancer."

Methods

Papers included for review were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The primary outcome was the use of CAM by women with breast cancer. Secondary outcomes included timing of use along disease trajectory, attitudes toward CAM by allopathic practitioners, and patient disclosure of CAM use to treating allopathic physicians.

Results

Of 701 titles identified by the search strategy, 36 met the inclusion criteria. The weighted average proportion of women with breast cancer who use CAM was 40% (standard deviation: 18%). The diagnosis of breast cancer also prompts the initiation or increase of CAM use. However, up to 84% of patients do not disclose the use of CAM to their allopathic practitioners.

Conclusions

Although CAM is often dismissed as a harmless addition to allopathic therapy, significant complications and interactions can occur. Our review and the dramatic case example provided highlight the need for physicians to educate themselves regarding CAM and to engage with their patients regarding its use.

Complementary and alternative medicine use and its association with quality of life among Lebanese breast cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer patients are increasingly seeking Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies with the hope of alleviating the burden of the disease and improving their quality of life (QOL). The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence, types, socio-demographic and disease-related correlates as well as characteristics of CAM use (including disclosure to treating physicians) among breast cancer patients in Beirut, Lebanon. A secondary objective was to evaluate the association between CAM use and QOL.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on breast cancer patients recruited from two major referral centers in Beirut: a philanthropic hospital and a private academic medical center. In face-to-face interviews, participants completed a questionnaire of three sections: socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics, breast cancer condition, and CAM use. Three to four weeks following these interviews, the secondary QOL assessment was carried out via telephone using the Arabic version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast questionnaire. The main outcome in this study, CAM use, was defined as using CAM at least once after breast cancer diagnosis.

RESULTS

A total of 180 breast cancer patients completed the survey (response rate: 94.6 %). Prevalence of CAM use was 40 %. Using multivariate logistic regression, CAM use was negatively associated with age (OR: 0.96, CI: 0.92-0.99), treatment at the philanthropic hospital (OR: 0.13, CI: 0.05-0.35) and was positively associated with an advanced stage of the disease (OR: 4.20, CI: 1.65-10.69). Among study participants recruited from both sites, the most commonly used CAM was 'special food' followed by 'herbal teas', 'diet supplements' and 'Spiritual healing'. Only 4 % of CAM users cited health professionals as influencing their choice of CAM and only one in four patients disclosed CAM use to their treating physician. There was no significant association between CAM use and QOL.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study revealed a prevalent CAM use among Lebanese breast cancer patients. Furthermore, physicians' role in orienting CAM use was found to be marginal as patients relied mainly on family and media for their choice of CAM and were less likely to disclose CAM use to their treating physicians.

Factors affecting the quality of life of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A questionnaire study

Objective:

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the factors affecting cancer patients’ quality of life.

Methods:

We collected data from 352 chemotherapy patients of an Outpatient Chemotherapy Unit in a state hospital. We included volunteered chemotherapy patients with a signed informed consent and at least 50 Karnofsky Performance Scale points. We gathered data by Personal Information Form and Nightingale Symptom Assessment Scale (N-SAS) and analyzed via basic descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis.

Results:

Patients were women (54.8%), married (83.5%), elementary school graduates (57.1%), housewives (44.6%) and undergoing fluorouracil-based therapy (47.2%), and almost all patients had religious and cultural rituals for the disease. Women experienced worse physical and social well-being than men (P = 0.001, P = 0.0001). Singles had worse psychological and general well-being (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001). Housewives had the worst physical and social well-being (P < 0.05). No relationship existed between education level and life quality (P > 0.05). Breast cancer and sarcoma patients had the worst social well-being than other cancer patients. The N-SAS points of patients were not affected by blessings/prays, vow/sacrifice, consulting local herbalists and visiting “ocaks (folk physicians)” (P > 0.05). Patients with bad quality of life practiced lead pouring and amulets (P < 0.05). Gender was the first factor affecting the quality of life.

Conclusion:

Advanced studies on individual quality of life factors affecting cancer would empower nurses for better personal care techniques and patients for easily overcoming the disease.

Comfort and anxiety levels of women with early stage breast cancer who receive radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

The aim of this planned research was to determine the comfort and anxiety levels of women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This descriptive type study covered patients that applied to the radiation oncology breast polyclinic of our university hospital between January and May 2011. Patient Identification Form, Radiation Therapy Comfort Questionnaire (RTCQ), Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were completed and analysed.

RESULTS

The mean age of the women who participated in the study was 51.6 ± 10.4 years. Mean scores of women were 3.73 ± 0.31 for RTCQ, 29.1 ± 5.88 for SAI and 37.8±6.91 for TAI. While the comfort levels of the women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy were moderate, they experienced only low levels of anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

By determining the comfort level of the patient before radiotherapy, besides providing comfort in this direction, eliminating/minimizing anxiety and stress will positively affect radiotherapy application. More attention of nurses to this issue is to be recommended.