The study was conducted by a group of researchers in Chicago and published recently in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Recent data suggest an increase in rates of CAM use among the general population and among patients with chronic medical illnesses. This study examined the use of CAM in a sample of patients with breast cancer. Additional objectives were to measure associations between psychosocial and medical factors and CAM use both related and unrelated to a breast cancer diagnosis.

115 breast cancer survivors at least one year beyond active medical treatment were recruited during routine clinic visits. Survey data collected via structured telephone interview focused on CAM use, motivations for use, perceived risk of cancer recurrence, and breast cancer–specific and general measures of anxiety.

Result highlights:
69% of the women participated in the study indicated that they currently use at least one type of CAM activity.
Of CAM users, 73% reported initiating or changing CAM activity specifically because of their cancer diagnosis.
A sizeable minority (27%) of CAM users in this sample do so for reasons unrelated to their cancer.
Patients engaging in CAM for cancer-related reasons were younger and had been diagnosed with cancer at a younger age.
Although overall anxiety scores in this sample were not significantly elevated, higher trait anxiety was associated with CAM use related to one's cancer diagnosis.
"The study results add to a growing body of research that suggests CAM use is highly prevalent among women with a history of breast cancer,"the researchers wrote.

The most common types of CAM activities included:
herbs (39%)
vitamins or supplements (32%)
body work (24%)
Age seems to have an influence on whether the patients seek CAM or not. The results show that younger women were more likely to report:
current vitamin or supplement use because of cancer
any use of herbs or medicinal herb teas use of herbs and herbal teas because of cancer
participate in body work and body work because of cancer
any diet change and diet change related to cancer
In other aspects, patients go through radiation treatment were more likely to use herbs. Patients who are on tamoxifen treatment used less vitamins and herbs.

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