Why Some Cancer Patients Use Unorthodox Treatment and Why Others Do Not

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Abstract
Background: Unconvential therapies obviously play an important role in the treatment of cancer, but still little is known about the motives of the users. Material and Methods: 340 cancer patients (3 diagnoses with 100 patients each: bronchial carcinoma, leukemia/lymphoma, colorectal carcinoma) were investigated during aftercare by a clinical questionnaire focusing on experiences with and attitudes to unconventional treatments. Results: 21% had used unconventional treatments (‘users’), mainly adressed as ‘mistletoe’, ‘cancer cures’ and ‘biological treatments’. The main motive of the users was the ‘wish not to leave anything untried’ (75%), followed by the ‘trust in the efficacy of the alternative treatment’ (47%). Only 8% of all patients reported unconventional forms of treatment to be genuinely an ‘alternative’ to conventional medicine. The main objection to unconventional forms of therapy was patient’s trust in conventional medicine (71%). Comparing ‘users’ and ‘nonusers’ of unconventional therapies showed that users are significantly younger, better educated and with a bigger women/men-ration among them. The groups did not differ with regard to most of the quality of life parameters (life satisfaction, complaints, anxiety, depression), but ‘users’ were much more dissatisfied with their medical treatment beforehand (conventional medicine). Conclusions: Unconventional therapies are more likely to express the patients’ search for more chances than to document a rejection of ‘school medicine’ and should be integrated in the doctor-patient-dialogue accordingly.

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