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Supportive Care in Cancer

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01-12-2015 | Original Article

Quality-of-life outcomes in patients with gynecologic cancer referred to integrative oncology treatment during chemotherapy

Authors: Eran Ben-Arye, Noah Samuels, Elad Schiff, Orit Gressel Raz, Ilanit Shalom Sharabi, Ofer Lavie

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 12/2015

Abstract

Objective

Integrative oncology incorporates complementary medicine (CM) therapies in patients with cancer. We explored the impact of an integrative oncology therapeutic regimen on quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes in women with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Patients and methods

A prospective preference study examined patients referred by oncology health care practitioners (HCPs) to an integrative physician (IP) consultation and CM treatments. QOL and chemotherapy-related toxicities were evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCAW) questionnaire, at baseline and at a 6–12-week follow-up assessment. Adherence to the integrative care (AIC) program was defined as ≥4 CM treatments, with ≤30 days between each session.

Results

Of 128 patients referred by their HCP, 102 underwent IP consultation and subsequent CM treatments. The main concerns expressed by patients were fatigue (79.8 %), gastrointestinal symptoms (64.6 %), pain and neuropathy (54.5 %), and emotional distress (45.5 %). Patients in both AIC (n = 68) and non-AIC (n = 28) groups shared similar demographic, treatment, and cancer-related characteristics. ESAS fatigue scores improved by a mean of 1.97 points in the AIC group on a scale of 0–10 and worsened by a mean of 0.27 points in the non-AIC group (p = 0.033). In the AIC group, MYCAW scores improved significantly (p < 0.0001) for each of the leading concerns as well as for well-being, a finding which was not apparent in the non-AIC group.

Conclusions

An IP-guided CM treatment regimen provided to patients with gynecological cancer during chemotherapy may reduce cancer-related fatigue and improve other QOL outcomes.

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Title: Quality-of-life outcomes in patients with gynecologic cancer referred to integrative oncology treatment during chemotherapy
Authors: Eran Ben-Arye
Noah Samuels
Elad Schiff
Orit Gressel Raz
Ilanit Shalom Sharabi
Ofer Lavie
Publication date: 01-12-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 12/2015
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2690-0

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Abstract

Objective

Patients and methods

Results

Conclusions

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