Table 3 Reasons for deciding to use CAM
Reason | Type of cancer: Number of patients (%) | Â | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  | Breast (n = 67) | Prostate (n = 36) | Ovarian (n = 17) | Colon (n = 12) | Other (n = 5) | Total (n = 137) |
The patient was disappointed with CM | 11 (16.4) | 5 (13.9) | 5 (29.4) | 3 (25.0) | 2 (40.0) | 26 (19.0) |
CM was too toxic or damaging | 4 (6.2) | 4 (11.1) | 4 (11.8) | 2 (16.7) | 1 (20.0) | 13 (9.6) |
CAM was more in keeping with personal beliefs and the inner self | 38 (56.7) | 22 (61.1) | 10 (58.8) | 9 (75.0) | 2 (40.0) | 81 (59.1) |
The patient felt the desire to take control of treatment | 20 (29.9) | 14 (38.9) | 6 (35.3) | 1 (8.3) | 1 (20.0) | 42 (30.7) |
CM was too mechanistic and lacked the human touch | 4 (6.0) | 4 (11.1) | 2 (11.8) | 2 (16.7) | 0 (0.0) | 12 (8.8) |
The patient felt the desire to try everything that could help | 45 (67.2) | 26 (72.2) | 11 (64.7) | 9 (75.0) | 1 (25.0) | 92 (67.6) |
CM was too expensive | 32 (34.3) | 18 (50.0) | 9 (52.9) | 4 (33.3) | 0 (0.0) | 54 (39.4) |