Quality of Life
Conditions
Keywords
Quality of life, Integrative medicine, Supportive care, Cancer, Chemotherapy
Brief summary
In 2007, the Haifa and Western Galilee district of the CHS set out to test the feasibility of integrating complementary medicine (CM) within the CHS Oncology Service. In 2008, the CHS established the Integrative Oncology Program with the goal of addressing patient concerns and improving quality of life parameters during chemotherapy and advanced disease. The study hypothesis is that integrated medicine consultation and treatment provided within the oncology department may improve patients' concerns and well-being.
Detailed description
In 2007, the Haifa and Western Galilee district of the CHS set out to test the feasibility of integrating complementary medicine (CM) within the CHS Oncology Service. In 2008, the CHS established the Integrative Oncology Program with the goal of addressing patient concerns and improving quality of life parameters during chemotherapy and advanced disease. The study is purposed to assess concerns, needs and perspectives of patients referred to integrative consultation during chemotherapy and/or advanced cancer; to characterize social demographic and health parameters of patients who consult or avoid integrative medicine consultation; to document complementary medicine use prior and during consultation; to assess if complementary medicine consultation and treatment improve patient's concerns and well-being; and to assess oncology provider and integrative practitioner communications issues concerning integrative care.
Interventions
OTHERComplementary medicine consultation and treatment
Patients receiving chemotherapy will be referred by their oncology provider to complementary medicine (CM) consultation and treatment provided in addition to conventional supportive care.CM consultation will include assessment of patients' concerns and well-being, current CM use (including herbal and nutritional supplements), and construction of CM treatment based on efficacy and safety considerations.
OTHERPatients receiving conventional supportive care
Patients receiving chemotherapy will be offered assessment of their concerns and well-being as well as their current complementary medicine (CM) use (including herbal and nutritional supplements). Patients in this arm study will receive conventional supportive care with no added CM consultation or treatment.
Sponsors
Carmel Medical Center
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Patients with cancer diagnosis receiving chemotherapy and/or surgical treatment who are referred by their oncology provider to complementary medicine consultation * Age older than 18 years
Exclusion criteria
* Age younger than 18 years
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MYCAW (Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing)questionnaire | 6-12 weeks(+follow-up 4 months) | Assessing patients'concerns and Wellbeing as well as narrative assessment of integrative care outcomes |
| ESAS (Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale)questionnaire | 6-12 weeks(+follow-up 4 months) | Assessing the severity of 10 leading symptoms and well-being |
| EORTC QLQ-C30 | 6-12 weeks(+follow-up 4 months) | The EORTC quality of life questionnaire (QLQ) is an integrated system for assessing the health related quality of life of cancer patients. The questionnaire includes functional and symptom scales. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| FACIT-Sp-12 questionnaire | 2-4 months | Assessing patients' spiritual well-being |
| Attitudes concerning complementary medicine | 6-12 weeks | Assessment of patients' attitudes concerning complementary medicine (CM)safety and efficacy, health beliefs concerning mind-body interactions, and willingness to receive CM treatments |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Complementary medicine side-effects documentation | 6-12 weeks(+follow-up 4 months) | Documentation in registry protocol of patients' reported side-effects concerning complementary medicine treatments |
Countries
Israel
Outcome results
None listed