Complementary and integrative medicine improved quality of life, depression, anxiety and fatigue levels in cancer patients on active oncology treatment.

2015 Jan 1

01/01/2015

PubMed:

Support Care Cancer 2015;23:1979-85.

By Bar-Sela G, Danos S, Visel B, Mashiach T, Mitnik I.

Background: During the past decade, there has been growing interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among cancer patients and it is being integrated more frequently within conventional cancer centers. The long-term effect of mind-body therapies on quality of life (QoL), depression, anxiety, and fatigue was tested prospectively in this study.

Patients and methods: Cancer patients who received six weekly sessions of CAM during their oncological treatments participated in the study. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) and QoL-EORTC-C30 were completed during the intervention and follow-up period.

Results: Over a two-year period, 163 patients entered the study, 135 of whom completed all six CAM sessions. An improvement was demonstrated in the median of BFI from 4.8 to 3.9 (p < 0.001), HADS-Anxiety from 8 to 7 (p < 0.001) and HADS-Depression from 7 to 6 (p < 0.001) after 12 weeks. In addition, the median of global QoL improved from 50 to 67 (p < 0.001), and a significant improvement was noticed in several parameters on the functioning and symptoms scales of the QoL-EORTC-C30.

Conclusion: Cancer patients who completed six weekly sessions of CAM improved significantly on measured outcomes, regardless of their demographic characteristics.

More publications on the subject

PALLIATIVE SOCIAL WORK IN ISRAEL – CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

01/06/2022

Abstract Israel, a young country that constantly absorbs immigrants from different cultures, has a unique social structure. The mosaic of culture and values that

Adapting a palliative care-focused cancer self- and family management intervention for use in Israel

01/08/2022

Abstract Background: In Israel, there is a need to improve quality of life and health outcomes among patients and families facing cancer. Increasing awareness of,

Do Perceptions about Palliative Care Affect Emergency Decisions of Health Personnel for Patients with Advanced Dementia?

01/08/2022

Abstract Decision analysis regarding emergency medical treatment in patients with advanced dementia has seldom been investigated. We aimed to examine the preferred medical treatment

Identifying patients in need of palliative care: Adaptation of the Necesidades Paliativas CCOMS-ICO© (NECPAL) screening tool for use in Israel

01/02/2024

Abstract Objectives: The Necesidades Paliativas CCOMS-ICO© (NECPAL) screening tool was developed to identify patients in need of palliative care and has been used in Israel

Palliative team involvement in end-of-life care for Jewish and Muslim children in Jerusalem: A unique clinical and cultural context

01/02/2024

Abstract Objectives: Pediatric palliative care services improve the quality of life for children with life-limiting and life-threatening diseases, although little has been published about variation

Death education for Palliative care: a european project for University students

21/04/2023

Abstract Background: The need to spread the culture of palliative care and to train health care professionals from undergraduate courses is recognised internationally. The article