Journal List > Korean J Urol > v.47(6) > 1069915

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Kim, Park, Lee, Lee, Chung, Chung, Yoon, Cheon, Kim, Chung, Hong, Song, Chang, Choi, Rim, Cho, Moon, and Kim: The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Patients with a Urological Malignancy
Original Article

Korean J Urol 2006;47(6):620-624.

Published online: 18 December 2006

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4111/kju.2006.47.6.620

The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Patients with a Urological Malignancy

Choung-Soo Kim, Sungchan Park1, Sang Bok Lee, Jung Min Lee, Han Chung2, Moon Kee Chung3, Duck Ki Yoon4, Jun Cheon4, Wun Jae Kim5, Byung Ha Chung6, Sung Joon Hong6, Jae Mann Song7, Sung-Goo Chang8, Han Yong Choi9, Joung Sik Rim10, Yong Hyun Cho11, Kyung Hyun Moon12, Bup Wan Kim13,

1Armed Forces Capital Hospital, Seongnam

2Ghil Hospital, Gachon Medical School, Incheon

3Pusan National University, Busan

4Korea University, Seoul

5Chungbuk National University, Cheongju

6Yonsei University, Seoul

7Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju

8Kyung Hee University, Seoul

9Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul

10Wonkwang University, Iksan, nThe Catholic University, Seoul

11Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan, Ulsan

12Kyung- pook National University, Daegu, Korea

13Kyung- pook National University, Daegu, Korea

14From the Department of Urology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, Seoul

Corresponding author: Kim Beopwan Department of Urology, Kyungpook National University Hospital Samdeok 2-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu 50 street ? 700-721 TEL: 053-420-5841 FAX: 053-421-9618 E-mail: bupwkim@ knu.ac.kr

Received 9 January 2006       Accepted 14 April 2006

Copyright © 2006 The Korean Urological Association

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose:

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is very common among patients with a urological malignancy. We assessed the prevalence and patterns of use of complementary therapies among patients with bladder, prostate and renal cancers.

Materials and Methods:

Between May and July 2004, we conducted a survey to assess the use of CAM at 13 outpatient clinics in Korea. Seven hundred and eleven patients with bladder (269), prostate (300) or renal cancers (142) were selected to answer a self-administered questionnaire on CAM, which were then analyzed.

Results:

Among 711 patients with urological malignancies, 279 (39.2%) had been treated with at least one type of CAM, in addition to conventional Western treatment. The cancer patients treated with radiation therapy or immunotherapy were more likely to employ CAM than those using other therapies. Age, gender, cancer type, occupations, religions, level of education and disease status (stable or progressive) were not associated with the prevalence of CAM. 44.3% of CAM users wanted to discuss CAM techniques with their doctors, but only 24.8% received an explanation of there use.

Conclusions:

CAM is used by a large number of patients with urological malignancies, particularly in those undergoing radiation therapy or im- munotherapy. Urologists need to have an accurate knowledge and apprehension of CAM. The possible effects and side effects should be defined, with appropriate guidelines recommended for patients with a urological malinancy. (Korean J Urol 2006;47:620-624)

Keywords: Alternative medicine, Prevalence, Prostate cancer, Bladder cancer, Renal cancer

REFERENCES

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Fig. 1.
Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) according to treatment modality.
kju-47-620f1.tif
Fig. 2.
Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) according to the degree of education.
kju-47-620f2.tif
Table 1.
Patient characteristics
  No. of patients
Sex
  Men 637
  Women 74
Age
  20-39 15
  40-49 45
  50-59 107
  60-69 266
  70-79 225
  >80 53
Education
  Didn't finish elementary school 31
  Graduated elementary school 137
  Graduated middle school 127
  Graduated high school 185
  Graduated college or university 167
  Graduated graduate school 64
Cancer type
  Bladder 269
  Prostate 300
  Kidney 142
Disease status
  Stable 637
  Progress 74
Treatment modality
  Surgery alone 514
  Chemotherapy +/- surgery 25
  Immunotherapy +/- surgery 9
  Hormone therapy +/- surgery 145
  Radiation therapy +/- surgery 13
  Observation 5
Table 2.
Types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
  No. of patients (%)
Prevalence of CAM (711 patients) 279 (39.2)
  Number described about specific name of CAM 207 (74.5)
CAM types  
  Diet therapy 167 (80.7)
  Herbal medicine 14 (6.8)
  Moxa cautery 13 (6.3)
  Acupuncture 7 (3.4)
  Homeopathic medicine 2 (1.0)
  Chiropractic medicine 2 (1.0)
  Transcendental medicine 1 (0)
  Magnetic field therapy 1(0)
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