Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Oncology Patients in the City of Bucaramanga, Colombia
Introduction. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used by oncology patients worldwide, often alongside conventional treatments. Understanding the frequency of use and motivations for CAM use is essential to improve patient-centered cancer care and guidance. Objective. To de...
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Fundación Universitaria María Cano
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Revista de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias de la Salud |
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| Online Access: | https://riics.info/index.php/RCMC/article/view/377 |
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| author | Nicolás Martínez-Ramos Norma Cecilia Serrano Díaz Claudia Janeth Uribe-Pérez Doris Cristina Quintero-Lesmes Carolina Mariño-Manrique Raúl Murillo |
| author_facet | Nicolás Martínez-Ramos Norma Cecilia Serrano Díaz Claudia Janeth Uribe-Pérez Doris Cristina Quintero-Lesmes Carolina Mariño-Manrique Raúl Murillo |
| author_sort | Nicolás Martínez-Ramos |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Introduction. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used by oncology patients worldwide, often alongside conventional treatments. Understanding the frequency of use and motivations for CAM use is essential to improve patient-centered cancer care and guidance.
Objective. To determine the frequency of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in oncology patients in the city of Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Method. Descriptive study; patients were surveyed at a health center in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Adult patients with any type of cancer, at all clinical stages, and who were undergoing active treatment were included.
Results. A total of 528 patients were included. Seventy-one percent were women, with an average age of 56.6 years. The most common cancer diagnoses were breast, colon, and stomach neoplasms. The CAM’s frequency of use was 67%, the majority of whom were women and patients with an educational level close to primary school. The primary reason for use was for palliative purposes, but a significant number used it for a curative purpose. The most commonly used products by patients were special foods of natural origin, including soursop and soursop leaves. As the main source of information about CAM, 86% reported obtaining this information from people other than the healthcare team.
Conclusion. A high proportion of oncology patients undergoing active treatment use CAM. It is necessary to incorporate this information into patient care and to develop services that guide such practices.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-734b1be32bdd4a9ebebc8d8eab0a1d7c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2665-2056 |
| language | Spanish |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Fundación Universitaria María Cano |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias de la Salud |
| spelling | doaj-art-734b1be32bdd4a9ebebc8d8eab0a1d7c2025-08-20T02:09:35ZspaFundación Universitaria María CanoRevista de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias de la Salud2665-20562025-04-017210.46634/riics.377Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Oncology Patients in the City of Bucaramanga, ColombiaNicolás Martínez-Ramos0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4461-9660Norma Cecilia Serrano Díaz1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3532-2002Claudia Janeth Uribe-Pérez2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6640-5938Doris Cristina Quintero-Lesmes3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8875-0110Carolina Mariño-Manrique4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5704-8465Raúl Murillo5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7187-9946Pontifical Xavierian UniversityFundación Cardiovascular de ColombiaAutonomous University of BucaramangaFundación Cardiovascular de ColombiaUniversidad de ValenciaHospital Universitario San Ignacio Introduction. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used by oncology patients worldwide, often alongside conventional treatments. Understanding the frequency of use and motivations for CAM use is essential to improve patient-centered cancer care and guidance. Objective. To determine the frequency of use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in oncology patients in the city of Bucaramanga, Colombia. Method. Descriptive study; patients were surveyed at a health center in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Adult patients with any type of cancer, at all clinical stages, and who were undergoing active treatment were included. Results. A total of 528 patients were included. Seventy-one percent were women, with an average age of 56.6 years. The most common cancer diagnoses were breast, colon, and stomach neoplasms. The CAM’s frequency of use was 67%, the majority of whom were women and patients with an educational level close to primary school. The primary reason for use was for palliative purposes, but a significant number used it for a curative purpose. The most commonly used products by patients were special foods of natural origin, including soursop and soursop leaves. As the main source of information about CAM, 86% reported obtaining this information from people other than the healthcare team. Conclusion. A high proportion of oncology patients undergoing active treatment use CAM. It is necessary to incorporate this information into patient care and to develop services that guide such practices. https://riics.info/index.php/RCMC/article/view/377CancerColombiaComplementary therapiesIntegrative oncologySurveys and questionnaires |
| spellingShingle | Nicolás Martínez-Ramos Norma Cecilia Serrano Díaz Claudia Janeth Uribe-Pérez Doris Cristina Quintero-Lesmes Carolina Mariño-Manrique Raúl Murillo Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Oncology Patients in the City of Bucaramanga, Colombia Revista de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias de la Salud Cancer Colombia Complementary therapies Integrative oncology Surveys and questionnaires |
| title | Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Oncology Patients in the City of Bucaramanga, Colombia |
| title_full | Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Oncology Patients in the City of Bucaramanga, Colombia |
| title_fullStr | Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Oncology Patients in the City of Bucaramanga, Colombia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Oncology Patients in the City of Bucaramanga, Colombia |
| title_short | Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Oncology Patients in the City of Bucaramanga, Colombia |
| title_sort | use of complementary and alternative medicine by oncology patients in the city of bucaramanga colombia |
| topic | Cancer Colombia Complementary therapies Integrative oncology Surveys and questionnaires |
| url | https://riics.info/index.php/RCMC/article/view/377 |
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