Neuhouser M L, Patterson R E, Schwartz S M, Hedderson M M, Bowen D J, Standish L J
Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA.
Prev Med. 2001 Nov;33(5):347-54. doi: 10.1006/pmed.2001.0911.
Use of alternative medicine is widespread among adult cancer patients, but considerably less is known about the use of these therapies by pediatric cancer patients. Our objective was to investigate the distribution and patterns of alternative medicine use by children diagnosed with cancer in Washington State.
Pediatric cancer patients (< or =18 years) with first primary neoplasms were identified from the Cancer Surveillance System of western Washington. Telephone interviews were conducted with parents of 75 patients to obtain data on the prevalence and types of alternative medicine used, satisfaction with conventional and alternative medicine, motivations for use of alternative medicine, adverse effects, and costs.
Seventy-three percent of patients used at least one alternative treatment or therapy. Twenty-one percent of patients consulted an alternative provider (e.g., acupuncturist, naturopathic doctor), and insurance companies covered 75% of these costs. Twenty-eight percent used high-dose dietary supplements such as vitamins C or E, and 35% used herbal preparations. Although use of alternative medicine was associated with parental dissatisfaction with their child's physician (P = 0.02), no patient used alternative medicine as a substitute for standard medical care. Most patients used alternative medicine to cope with disease symptoms or the side effects of the medical treatments.
Pediatric oncology patients use alternative treatments as adjuncts to conventional care. Both researchers and health care providers should remain informed about the benefits and adverse effects of alternative therapies in order to discuss treatment options with patients and their families and to monitor treatment efficacy.
替代医学在成年癌症患者中广泛使用，但对于儿科癌症患者使用这些疗法的了解却少得多。我们的目的是调查华盛顿州被诊断患有癌症的儿童使用替代医学的分布情况和模式。
从华盛顿州西部的癌症监测系统中识别出患有原发性肿瘤的儿科癌症患者（≤18岁）。对75名患者的家长进行了电话访谈，以获取关于替代医学使用的患病率和类型、对传统医学和替代医学的满意度、使用替代医学的动机、不良反应和费用的数据。
73%的患者至少使用了一种替代治疗方法。21%的患者咨询过替代医学从业者（如针灸师、自然疗法医生），保险公司支付了其中75%的费用。28%的患者使用高剂量的膳食补充剂，如维生素C或E，35%的患者使用草药制剂。虽然使用替代医学与家长对孩子医生的不满有关（P = 0.02），但没有患者将替代医学作为标准医疗护理的替代品。大多数患者使用替代医学来应对疾病症状或医疗治疗的副作用。
儿科肿瘤患者将替代治疗作为传统护理的辅助手段。研究人员和医疗保健提供者都应了解替代疗法的益处和不良反应，以便与患者及其家属讨论治疗方案并监测治疗效果。
