Voodoo dolls and the cancer patient: patients do trust their doctors

To determine oncology patients' pattern and rationale of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, and canvass their views on the relative merits of allopathic and alternative medicine.

Observational study of opinions from a cohort of patients using self-completion questionnaires.

Oncology departments of two UK teaching hospitals.

Voluntary participation of 200 oncology patients attending clinic.

Twenty-two percent of patients used CAM, with a preponderance towards younger, female patients. The commonest reasons for CAM use is to make the patient feel better and to help with their cancer. However, patients seldom believe there is more evidence for CAM or that CAM will cure them, indeed often noticing no benefits from the treatment. CAM users do not resort to complementary medicine due to dissatisfaction with their doctor but instead have considerable trust in their physicians. Only a minority believes their doctor knows about their CAM use.

CAM use by oncology patients in the UK is less common than that reported elsewhere. Although patients try CAM in the hope that it will help with their treatment, they are realistic about its likely benefits. It uptake is not as an indication of lack of faith in doctors, yet physicians are frequently unaware of use. Therefore, the medical profession should not feel threatened by patients resorting to CAM but instead focus on understanding the reasons behind it.