Complementary and Integrative Medicine Use in Individuals Seeking Conventional Medical Oncology Care in Chile: Prevalence and Patient Characteristics

PURPOSE: Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) use during cancer care has increased in Western medical settings. Little is known about interest in and use of CIM approaches by oncology patients in Chile and South America. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients presenting for conventional outpatient or inpatient medical oncology care at the Clinica Alemana in Santiago, Chile, from March to June 2017 were asked to complete a survey about their interest in and use of CIM approaches. Goals included determining the prevalence of CIM use and exploring associations between CIM use and patient characteristics. Statistical analyses included a two-tailed t test for continuous variables, Fischer’s exact test for categorical variables, and logistic regression for association between CIM use and other variables. RESULTS: Of 432 patients surveyed, 66.9% were diagnosed with breast cancer, 84.8% were women, the majority of patients (58.1%) were between age 40 and 60 years, and 51.5% (n = 221) reported CIM use. No association was found between CIM use and the sociodemographic variables of sex, age, education, or income. In all, 44.6% of patients with breast cancer reported CIM use compared with 64.8% of patients with other cancer types (P > .001). Most commonly reported types of CIM used included herbals (49.1%), vitamins and minerals (40.8%), and prayer or meditation (40.4%). Most frequent reasons for CIM use were to “do everything possible” (72%) and to “improve my immune function” (67.8%). Most patients (43.4%) reported starting CIM use at the time of cancer diagnosis, with only 55.4% sharing information regarding CIM use with their medical team. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients surveyed reported engaging in CIM use, with just over half the users communicating with their oncology team about their CIM use. Increased awareness of regional differences in CIM use may help increase communication regarding this subject and contribute to improved outcomes.