Complementary and alternative medicine use during chemotherapy: the dietitian’s role

Megan Crichton; Katelyn Strike; Elisabeth Isenring; Wolfgang Marx; Anna Elizabeth Lohning; Skye Marshall

doi:10.1111/1747-0080.12627

Abstract

Background: Despite uncertainty regarding safety and efficacy, 40‐80% of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) during chemotherapy. This CAM use is often self‐prescribed and undisclosed to health professionals.Aim: To explore chemotherapy patients' perspectives, experiences, support needs, and sources of information regarding CAM use during chemotherapy and the relevance to the dietetic profession.Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted in adult participants who recently completed chemotherapy treatment at a public hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed by three investigators.Results: Ten participants were interviewed (70% female, 80% >55 years). Three major themes were identified as “support needs and sources of information: trust in knowledge”; “perspective: natural complement to curative drugs”; and “experience: hope for improved wellbeing”. A subtheme was “vulnerability to external opinions”. “Historical responses”, representing participants' past experiences with CAMs, was a driver underpinning and influencing all themes.Conclusions: CAM use can be highly valuable to chemotherapy patients and play an important role in supporting their cancer treatment journey. Dietitians have an integral role in initiating CAM discussions and guiding appropriate education regarding CAMs in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary oncology team to ensure optimal quality of life and safety.

Original language	English
Article number	180
Pages (from-to)	26
Journal	Nutrition and Dietetics
Volume	77
Issue number	S1
Early online date	26 Aug 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.12627
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 26 Aug 2020
Event	Dietitians Association of Australia 37th National Conference: Discover. Grow. Evolve - Melbourne, Australia Duration: 23 Aug 2020 → 25 Aug 2020 Conference number: 37th https://daa2020.com.au/

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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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10.1111/1747-0080.12627Licence: Free to read

Research by Master of Nutrition and Dietetic Practice Students
Isenring, E. (Supervisor), Marshall, S. (Supervisor), Reidlinger, D. (Project Lead), Kelly, J. (Supervisor), Cox, G. (Supervisor), Van der Meij, B. (Supervisor), MacKenzie-Shalders, K. (Supervisor), Mayr, H. (Supervisor), Utter, J. (Associate Professor), Dahl, C. (Masters by Coursework Student), Crichton, M. (Masters by Coursework Student), O'Bryan, K. R. (Masters by Coursework Student), Norris, R. (Masters by Coursework Student), Fahey, M. (Masters by Coursework Student), Davidson, A. (Masters by Coursework Student), Naranjo, A. (Masters by Coursework Student), Mahoney, S. (Masters by Coursework Student), Eberhardt, F. (Masters by Coursework Student), Dalwood, P. (Masters by Coursework Student), Lopez, E. (Masters by Coursework Student), Hofto, S. (Masters by Coursework Student), Innerarity, C. (Masters by Coursework Student), So, D. (Masters by Coursework Student), McIntosh, A. (Masters by Coursework Student), Gadd, N. (Masters by Coursework Student), Chan, H. C. (Masters by Coursework Student), Lan, X. (Masters by Coursework Student), Fei, X. (Masters by Coursework Student), Kostjasyn, S. (Masters by Coursework Student), Adhyaru, P. (Masters by Coursework Student), Giang, J. (Masters by Coursework Student), Leung, E. L. Y. (Masters by Coursework Student), Strike, K. (Project Roles), Pearcy, J. (Masters by Coursework Student), Somani, A. (Masters by Coursework Student), Wright, C. (Masters by Coursework Student), Matthews, C. (Masters by Coursework Student), Lee, G. (Masters by Coursework Student), Tang, X. (Associate Investigator) & Eso, A. (Associate Investigator)
1/01/14 → 31/12/27
Project: Research
Oncology Nutrition Research
Isenring, E. (Project Lead), Marshall, S. (Senior Research Fellow), Van der Meij, B. (Senior Research Fellow), Rigby, R. (Associate Investigator), Teleni, L. (HDR Student), Crichton, M. (HDR Student) & Tang, X. (Admin)
1/01/14 → …
Project: Research
Scholarship of Learning, Teaching, and Workforce Development in Nutrition & Dietetics
Reidlinger, D. (Project Lead), Morgan, K. (HDR Student), Campbell, K. (Partner Investigator), Isenring, E. (Partner Investigator), Van der Meij, B. (Partner Investigator), Turner, C. (Partner Investigator), Mueller, K. (Partner Investigator), Marx, W. (Partner Investigator), Van Herwerden, L. (Assistant Professor), MacKenzie-Shalders, K. (Assistant Professor), Maugeri, B. (Assistant Professor) & Tang, X. (Admin)
1/01/14 → 30/06/29
Project: Research

Cite this

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title = "Complementary and alternative medicine use during chemotherapy: the dietitian{\textquoteright}s role",

abstract = "Background: Despite uncertainty regarding safety and efficacy, 40‐80\% of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) during chemotherapy. This CAM use is often self‐prescribed and undisclosed to health professionals.Aim: To explore chemotherapy patients' perspectives, experiences, support needs, and sources of information regarding CAM use during chemotherapy and the relevance to the dietetic profession.Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted in adult participants who recently completed chemotherapy treatment at a public hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed by three investigators.Results: Ten participants were interviewed (70\% female, 80\% >55 years). Three major themes were identified as “support needs and sources of information: trust in knowledge”; “perspective: natural complement to curative drugs”; and “experience: hope for improved wellbeing”. A subtheme was “vulnerability to external opinions”. “Historical responses”, representing participants' past experiences with CAMs, was a driver underpinning and influencing all themes.Conclusions: CAM use can be highly valuable to chemotherapy patients and play an important role in supporting their cancer treatment journey. Dietitians have an integral role in initiating CAM discussions and guiding appropriate education regarding CAMs in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary oncology team to ensure optimal quality of life and safety.",

author = "Megan Crichton and Katelyn Strike and Elisabeth Isenring and Wolfgang Marx and Lohning, \{Anna Elizabeth\} and Skye Marshall",

year = "2020",

month = aug,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1111/1747-0080.12627",

language = "English",

volume = "77",

pages = "26",

journal = "Nutrition and Dietetics",

issn = "1032-1322",

publisher = "Wiley-Academy",

number = "S1",

note = "Dietitians Association of Australia 37th National Conference : Discover. Grow. Evolve, DAA2020 ; Conference date: 23-08-2020 Through 25-08-2020",

url = "https://daa2020.com.au/",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Complementary and alternative medicine use during chemotherapy: the dietitian’s role

AU - Crichton, Megan

AU - Strike, Katelyn

AU - Isenring, Elisabeth

AU - Marx, Wolfgang

AU - Lohning, Anna Elizabeth

AU - Marshall, Skye

N1 - Conference code: 37th

PY - 2020/8/26

Y1 - 2020/8/26

N2 - Background: Despite uncertainty regarding safety and efficacy, 40‐80% of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) during chemotherapy. This CAM use is often self‐prescribed and undisclosed to health professionals.Aim: To explore chemotherapy patients' perspectives, experiences, support needs, and sources of information regarding CAM use during chemotherapy and the relevance to the dietetic profession.Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted in adult participants who recently completed chemotherapy treatment at a public hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed by three investigators.Results: Ten participants were interviewed (70% female, 80% >55 years). Three major themes were identified as “support needs and sources of information: trust in knowledge”; “perspective: natural complement to curative drugs”; and “experience: hope for improved wellbeing”. A subtheme was “vulnerability to external opinions”. “Historical responses”, representing participants' past experiences with CAMs, was a driver underpinning and influencing all themes.Conclusions: CAM use can be highly valuable to chemotherapy patients and play an important role in supporting their cancer treatment journey. Dietitians have an integral role in initiating CAM discussions and guiding appropriate education regarding CAMs in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary oncology team to ensure optimal quality of life and safety.

AB - Background: Despite uncertainty regarding safety and efficacy, 40‐80% of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) during chemotherapy. This CAM use is often self‐prescribed and undisclosed to health professionals.Aim: To explore chemotherapy patients' perspectives, experiences, support needs, and sources of information regarding CAM use during chemotherapy and the relevance to the dietetic profession.Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted in adult participants who recently completed chemotherapy treatment at a public hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed by three investigators.Results: Ten participants were interviewed (70% female, 80% >55 years). Three major themes were identified as “support needs and sources of information: trust in knowledge”; “perspective: natural complement to curative drugs”; and “experience: hope for improved wellbeing”. A subtheme was “vulnerability to external opinions”. “Historical responses”, representing participants' past experiences with CAMs, was a driver underpinning and influencing all themes.Conclusions: CAM use can be highly valuable to chemotherapy patients and play an important role in supporting their cancer treatment journey. Dietitians have an integral role in initiating CAM discussions and guiding appropriate education regarding CAMs in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary oncology team to ensure optimal quality of life and safety.

U2 - 10.1111/1747-0080.12627

DO - 10.1111/1747-0080.12627

M3 - Meeting Abstract

SN - 1032-1322

VL - 77

SP - 26

JO - Nutrition and Dietetics

JF - Nutrition and Dietetics

IS - S1

M1 - 180

T2 - Dietitians Association of Australia 37th National Conference

Y2 - 23 August 2020 through 25 August 2020

ER -

Complementary and alternative medicine use during chemotherapy: the dietitian’s role

Abstract

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Related Projects

Research by Master of Nutrition and Dietetic Practice Students

Oncology Nutrition Research

Scholarship of Learning, Teaching, and Workforce Development in Nutrition & Dietetics

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