[Complementary medicine use in oncology patients]

Through an anonymized questionnaire we assessed the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in a series of cancer patients treated at the Geneva University Hospitals. 152 among the 300 sollicitated patients responded and 39 (26.5%) recognized to use CAM, particularly young, and moderate to highly educated patients. Patients justify their use of CAM to maximize caring ressources, to achieve physical or psychic relief. Most of them recognize to share these therapeutic options with their doctor. Satisfaction with traditional medicine as well as ignorance of CAM are the main arguments provided by non users. The specificity of our hospital context in which results were collected and the lack of a common and popular definition of CAM remain the main limitations of our enquiry.