Many tumor patients use alternative therapies

Study: High popularity for alternative therapies in tumor patients

According to a recent survey, almost half of the tumor patients use alternative forms of treatment in addition to conventional therapies.

According to a study of the German Glioma Network under the direction of dr. Oliver Heese, Senior Physician at the Department of Neurosurgery of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), is able to cope better with mental illness for around 40 percent of tumor patients suffering from severe medical conditions. from naturopathy in addition to conventional medical therapies avail.

During the course of the study, a total of 621 patients with incurable grade II to IV tumors (glioblastoma tumors) were surveyed nationwide. Patients were interviewed in the survey on how to deal with alternative forms of treatment. The average age of male and female patients was 41 years of age. For example, 39 percent of participants said they use homeopathic remedies. Thirty-one percent said they would take part in vitamin treatments (e.g., orthomolecular medicine). Another 29 percent use psychotherapeutic methods. A majority of respondents said they support conventional medical therapy with alternative therapies to naturally boost the immune system. Most of the respondents also stated that they did not fundamentally reject mainstream medicine. Rather, the treatment approaches are considered complementary.

The results of the survey showed doctors surprised. "These results have surprised us in patients undergoing conventional medical treatment at a university hospital. Heese. It turns out that the treating physicians are particularly challenged in dealing with the patients. Physicians should see it as their task to actively engage in discussions and seek alternative treatment options with the patient. Doctors should assist patients in the choice of alternative medicine. In the opinion of the senior physician, the advice should be to educate patients about meaningful but also superfluous methods. Costly but ineffective therapies should protect patients, says Hesse.

The Neurochirug advises patients to inform their doctor in any case about the additional treatments so that they may not take anything that could harm their health. "Patients need to be able to talk openly with their doctor if they have questions about alternative therapies," Heese said.

Every year around 10,000 people in Germany contract a brain tumor. Especially with incurable diseases but many sufferers are looking for other forms of treatment. The results of the study have been published in the scientific journal "Neurology". (sb, 19.12.2010)

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