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Complementary and alternative medicine use in glioma patients in France

  • Clinical Study
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Abstract

Purpose

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use increases in cancer patients, including adult patients with diffuse gliomas.

Methods

Questionnaires addressing CAM use were distributed to adult patients with gliomas of WHO grades II-IV and ECOG performance score of 0–2 during hospital visits and filled in anonymously. The study was conducted in nine centers in France from May 2017 to May 2018. Descriptive cohort analyses and comparative analyses according to gender, age, WHO grade, and recurrent versus newly diagnosed disease were conducted.

Results

Two hundred twenty-seven questionnaires were collected; 135 patients (59%) were male. Median age was 48 years, 105 patients (46%) declared having glioblastoma, 99 patients (43%) declared having recurrent disease. Hundred-three patients (45%) had modified their alimentary habits after the glioma diagnosis. At the time of the questionnaire, 100 patients (44%) were on complementary treatment, mainly vitamins and food supplements, and 73 patients (32%) used alternative medicine approaches, mainly magnetism and acupuncture. In total, 154 patients (68%) declared using at least one of these approaches. Expenditures exceeding 100 € per month were reported by users in 14% for modification of alimentary habits, in 25% for complementary treatment, and in 18% for alternative medicines. All approaches were commonly considered as improving quality of life and experienced as efficient, notably those associated with more expenditures.

Conclusions

CAM are frequently used by glioma patients in France. Underlying needs and expectations, as well as potential interactions with tumor-specific treatments, and financial and quality of life burden, should be discussed with patients and caregivers.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Stéphanie Heudre for excellent administrational support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ. Lille, U1192 - PRISM, 59000, Lille, France

    Emilie Le Rhun

  2. CHU Lille, Neuro-oncology, General and Stereotaxic Neurosurgery Department, 59000, Lille, France

    Emilie Le Rhun & Carole Ramirez

  3. Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 26, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Emilie Le Rhun, Dorothee Gramatzki & Michael Weller

  4. Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, EA 2694 - Santé Publique: Épidémiologie et Qualité des Soins, 59000, Lille, France

    Patrick Devos

  5. Department of Neurology, Pasteur2 Hospital, Nice Côte D’Azur University, Nice, France

    Véronique Bourg & Christine Lebrun Frenay

  6. Department of Medical Oncology, Institut du Cancer de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Amélie Darlix

  7. Georges François Leclerc, Anticancer Center, Dijon, France

    Véronique Lorgis

  8. Department of Neurology, Hôpitaux Civils, Colmar, France

    Guido Ahle

  9. Department of Medical Oncology, CHU, Amiens, France

    Mathieu Boone

  10. University Hospital, Nancy, France

    Luc Taillandier

  11. University Hospital, Besançon, France

    Elsa Curtit

  12. Centre Léonard de Vinci, Dechy, France

    Louis Gras

  13. Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, EA 7365 – GRITA – Groupe de Recherche sur les Formes Injectables et les Technologies Associées, Lille, France

    Nicolas Simon

  14. Neuro-Oncology, Neurosurgery Department, Roger Salengro Hospital, Rue Emile Laine, University Hospital CHRU, 59037, Lille Cedex, France

    Emilie Le Rhun

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  1. Emilie Le Rhun
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Le Rhun, E., Devos, P., Bourg, V. et al. Complementary and alternative medicine use in glioma patients in France. J Neurooncol 145, 487–499 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-019-03315-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-019-03315-8

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