Prevalence of CAM in a cohort of breast cancer patients and controls. K. N. Anderson, J. Jacobson, H. Li, D. Hershman, P. Gorroochurn, V. Grann; Columbia University, New York, NY Abstract: Background: Estimates of the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among breast cancer patients vary widely, and little is known about how CAM treatment among cancer patients may differ from that among cancer-free individuals. We investigated factors associated with CAM use among breast cancer patients at Columbia-Presbyterian and Harlem Hospitals and controls. Methods: Baseline information for a cohort study was collected from black, white, and Hispanic patients recently diagnosed with localized breast cancer (N=294), and their friends and relatives (N=156). The questionnaire asked about recent use of CAM modalities including diet, nutritional supplements, homeopathy, herbal medications, other medications not prescribed by an MD, traditional ethnic medicine, detoxification treatments, water treatment or hydrotherapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage or other manual therapy, meditation or prayer, support groups or psychotherapy, healing touch or other energy therapy, or any other form of self help. The questionnaire also asked for socioeconomic and demographic information and health-related behavior, such as mammograms, and pap smears obtained within the last five years, measures of general health, quality of life, and psychosocial distress using the CESD scale and the SF-36. The relationships between these variables and CAM were examined with a logistic regression model in SAS. Results: As the table below indicates, age, income and breast cancer status were significant predictors of CAM; no other variables were significant. Conclusions: Recently diagnosed breast cancer patients were more likely to try CAM than their friends and first-degree relatives. We plan to assess changes in this association during follow-up. Abstract No: 8131 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.