Open Dialogue About Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) Integrated in Conventional Oncology Care

Vejle Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cancer

Treatments: Other: Open dialogue about complementary alternative medicine; Other: Standard care

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03857776

CAMONCO

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this phase two parallel-group randomized controlled trial is to assess the efficacy of open dialogue about CAM integrated in conventional oncology care. The investigators hypothesize that patients in the intervention group participating in a scheduled open dialogue with a nurse specialist about CAM will experience better physical and mental health compared to patients in the control group receiving standard care alone.

Full description

Patients randomized to the intervention group will participate in a scheduled open dialogue about CAM with a specialist nurse, who has completed the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. This is a training program for health professionals in empowering individuals and communities to optimize health and well-being through evidence-based, sustainable and integrative approaches. The open dialogue will be based on the fundamentals of person-centered care according to this program and include patient preferences and wishes, reliable information and counselling and advice about the potential risks and benefits of using CAM as an adjunct to conventional oncology care.

All dialogue, each lasting approximately 60 minutes, will be conducted by the same nurse as soon as possible and at the latest two weeks after enrolment. According to patient needs and wishes there may be a follow-up dialogue over the telephone or in the Oncology Outpatient Clinic. The potential second dialogue is estimated to last approximately 30 minutes.

Participants in the control group will receive standard information including reference to www.KABcancer.dk, which is a website presenting research on CAM, including information about its potential effects and outcomes.

Enrollment: 112 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 or more
• Speaks and reads Danish
• Diagnosed with a new primary cancer or a relapse of cancer within the last 3 months
• Planned or initiated medical oncology treatment at the Department of Oncology, Vejle Hospital
• At least two months of oncology treatment is realistic based on clinical assessment
• Life expectancy of at least six months
• Informed consent

Exclusion criteria

-Participation in other trials

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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112 participants in 2 patient groups

Open dialogue about CAM

Other group

Description:

Participation in an open dialogue about CAM with a nurse specialist. The dialogue will be based on the fundamentals of person-centered care and include patient preferences and wishes, reliable information and counselling, and advice about the potential risks and benefits of using CAM. The dialogue is estimated to last approximately 60 minutes and all dialogues will be conducted by the same nurse. Depending on patient needs and wishes there may be a follow-up consultation one month after the first dialogue.

Treatment:

Other: Open dialogue about complementary alternative medicine

Standard care

Other group

Description:

Standard care including referral to a homepage about complementary alternative medicine

Treatment:

Other: Standard care