Complementary Medicine and Cancer: A French Multicenter Survey.

e23127 Background: There have been few reports about Complementary Therapy (TC) use in outpatients who are on active cancer chemotherapy in France. TC may interact with cancer treatments, reduce efficacy, or enhance adverse effects. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey on TC use in 7 French hospitals (outpatient chemotherapy, conventional hospitalization and medical consultation departments). Eligible patients had to be followed for a cancer and be over 18. Results: 415 patients answered the questionnaire. 54% were female, More than 80% of patients were over 50. 230 patients (55.4%) reported using TCs. TCs were prescribed or recommended for 180 patients. The main TC users were patients with melanoma or other cutaneous cancer (90% of them) and bone and soft tissues sarcomas (86% of them). Most patients used only one TC (52.6%). The most used TCs were Phytotherapy (48%), Homeopathy (40%), supplemental dietary (35%) and aromatherapy (21%). 110 patients (47, 8% of patients with TC) used phytotherapy. The most used plants (≥5% of use) were: Curcuma and its derivative curcumine (13.9%), desmodium (7.4%), thymus (5%). 93 patients used homeopathy (40.4% of patients with TC). Only 48 patients used aromatherapy (20.9% of patients with TCM or 11.6% of the whole population). 81 patients used Supplemental dietary (35.2% of patients with TCM or 19.5% of the whole population). Only 27 patients used oligo-elements (11.7% of patients with TCM or 6.5% of the whole population),). Interestingly, 20% of patients declared to use others TCs (Physical activity, Acupuncture, Somatotherapy, Sophrology, Chinese traditional Medecine, Specific diet, Psychotherapy…). Patient who used TC were mainly under chemotherapy regimen.For each TC, most patients considered that they were useful or very useful. The main reasons for using TCs were “Wellbeing and psychological support” (35.8%), “Clinical symptoms and chemotherapy tolerance improvement” (34.6%) and “Treatment of cancer” (17.7%). Conclusions: To protect cancer patients from the potential hazard of combining their cancer treatment with TCs, patients should systematically be encouraged to report their TC use, while oncologists and pharmacists should be trained on evidence of TC, and patient guidance for a safer TC use.