Use of complementary health practices by prostate carcinoma patients undergoing radiation therapy

There has been increasing interest in complementary health practices among patients, popular media, and even institutional health care providers. However, there is still surprisingly little information on the use of alternative medicine by patients undergoing treatment for prostate carcinoma.

A prospective study of 50 consecutive patients undergoing radiation treatment for prostate carcinoma at a tertiary care referral center was conducted. Patients were surveyed after the initiation of radiation therapy whether they had used complementary health practices at any time.

The authors found that a surprisingly high proportion of patients (37%) relied on complementary health practices not prescribed by physicians. In contrast, according to a separate survey of the treating physicians, the physicians believed that on average only 4% of their patients resorted to such practices. The use of complementary health practices usually continued even after the initiation of definitive treatment for prostate carcinoma. Patients who used complementary health practices tended to have higher levels of education and income, whereas there were no differences in age, religion, perception of health status, stage of prostate carcinoma, or prostate specific antigen level. Herbal remedies were the most frequently utilized, by 60% of those using complementary health practices, followed by old-time remedies (47%), high dose vitamins (41%), chiropractic/massage therapy and relaxation techniques (18% each), and special diets (12%).

Patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma frequently rely on complementary health practices not prescribed by their treating physicians. Patients who do so tend to have higher education and income levels and continue their complementary practices during the conventional treatment. As the health implications of these practices are unclear, further research is clearly needed.