Can we demonstrate that breast cancer "integrative oncology" is effective? A methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of integrative oncology offered in community clinics.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many women diagnosed with breast cancer receive both standard cancer treatment and care from providers trained in the emerging field of medicine called integrative oncology (IO) in which science-based complementary and alternative medical therapies are prescribed by physicians. The effectiveness of IO services has not been fully studied, so is yet unknown.

Purpose

Determine if a matched, case-controlled prospective outcomes study evaluating the efficacy and safety of breast cancer IO care is feasible.

Methods

Methodological proof of principle requires demonstration that (1) it is possible to find matched control breast cancer patients using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End

Results

Results. A pilot study was conducted in 2008 (n = 14) to determi

SUBMITTER: Standish LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4739815 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature