Abstract P2-12-11: Socioeconomic factors and the use of complimentary and alternative therapies in patients with early stage breast cancer
Authors: Panati Swetha , Shahid Kamran , Watson Kaylin S , Adair Lauren , Juneja Sanjay , Nguyen Kimberly , Shi Runhua , Burton Gary V 
Published: May 2015

BACKGROUND: Treatments not considered a part of conventional cancer care are known as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and are becoming increasingly popular. These CAM therapies, divided into Alternative Medical Systems (AMS), Mind-Body Interventions (MBI), Biological Based Therapies (BBT), Manipulative Therapies (MT) and Energy Therapies (ET), may or may not benefit patients (pts). Socioeconomic factors which may be associated with CAM use have not been well defined.

AIM: To further define socioeconomic factors associated with the use of specific CAMs in pts with early stage breast cancer.

METHODS: 513 early stage breast cancer pts were interviewed between 4/2012 and 6/2014 using an IRB approved survey. The pts were interviewed after completion of all adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation and at least 6 months of adjuvant hormone therapy. Data collected included pt demographics, age, race, employment, insurance, marital status, income, education, religion and residence. All pts had literacy testing using a validated reading test. Pts were questioned on the use of 36 specific CAMs within the 5 CAM divisions, why they chose to use CAMs, and their opinion relative to benefits. Chi square test was used to evaluate the data.

RESULTS: CAM use was common with 100% of pts using or participating in at least 1 CAM class. CAMS within the MBI division were used by most patients with statistically increased use seen in non-protestant religion and employed pts (p=0.02 and 0.04). BBT division use was associated with age (p=0.001) and marginal for being insured (p=0.06). AMS use appeared to be more common in unemployed pts but was not statistically significant (p= 0.07).

The most common specific CAMs used were prayer (95%), exercise (65%), deep breathing (39%), and music therapy (38%). Statistically significant socioeconomic associations with specific CAM subclass utilizations included: Advancing age was associated with herbal supplement use. White pts used PET, music and art therapy as compared to black pts who used dance therapy and progressive relaxation. Insured pts used herbal, yoga and pilates. Pts with high income participated in yoga while low income used deep breathing, progressive relaxation, music and dance therapy. Pts with higher reading level (education) used deep breathing, music, dance and pet therapy.

CONCLUSION: All pts, with early stage breast cancer, utilize CAMs and see their use as an important part of their cancer therapy. Specific CAM subgroups use was associated with advancing age, employment, income, race and reading levels. Although all pts use CAM therapy, the vast majority of CAMs pose no risk and could benefit the individual pt. Utilization of various herbal supplements, which could pose a risk, is seen in all socioeconomic groups, however, a statistically significant increased use was seen with advancing age and having insurance. This study, however, did not obtain information from the 2% of pts seen at our institution who abandoned all conventional therapy and were lost to follow-up.

Citation Format: Swetha Panati, Kamran Shahid, Kaylin S Watson, Lauren Adair, Sanjay Juneja, Kimberly Nguyen, Runhua Shi, Gary V Burton. Socioeconomic factors and the use of complimentary and alternative therapies in patients with early stage breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-12-11.