Lawenda Brian Douglas

Wong Raimond K. Sagar Stephen M. Chen Bao J. Yi Grace Y. Cook Richard

Current evidence indicates that acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (ALTENS) can provide sustained benefit for established radiation-induced xerostomia (RIX) symptoms. This is further being evaluated by comparing it with standard treatment (pilocarpine) in a randomized controlled trial. This report studies the potential effectiveness of xerostomia prevention using ALTENS delivered concomitantly with radiotherapy administered to head and neck cancer patients. Sixty patients were randomized to either the treatment group (n = 30) that received ALTENS daily with radiotherapy or the control group (n = 26) that had standard mouth care only. Stimulated and basal unstimulated whole saliva production (WSP) plus RIX symptoms visual analogue score (RIXVAS) were assessed at specific time points. Generalized linear models and generalized estimating equations were used for analysis. RIXVAS at 3 months follow-up after therapy completion was used as the primary study endpoint. The mean RIXVAS for the ALTENS intervention at 3 months was 39.8, which was not significantly different from the control arm value of 40.5. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups for their mean RIXVAS and WSP at all assessment time points. In conclusion, there was no significant difference in mean WSP and RIXVAS between the two groups, so ALTENS is not recommended as a prophylactic intervention.

Chandwani Kavita D. Thornton Bob Perkins George H. Arun Banu Raghuram N.V. Nagendra H.R. Wei Qi Cohen Lorenzo

This study examined the effects of yoga on quality of life (QOL) and psychosocial outcomes in women with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Sixty-one women were randomly assigned to either a yoga or a wait-list group. Yoga classes were taught biweekly during the 6 weeks of radiotherapy. Participants completed measures of QOL, fatigue, benefit finding (finding meaning in the cancer experience), intrusive thoughts, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and anxiety before radiotherapy and then again 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after the end of radiotherapy. General linear model analyses revealed that compared to the control group, the yoga group reported significantly better general health perception (p = .005) and physical functioning scores (p = .04) 1 week postradiotherapy; higher levels of intrusive thoughts 1 month postradiotherapy (p = .01); and greater benefit finding 3 months postradiotherapy (p = .01). There were no other group differences in other QOL subscales for fatigue, depression, or sleep scores. Exploratory analyses indicated that intrusive thoughts 1 month after radiotherapy were significantly positively correlated with benefit finding 3 months after radiotherapy (r = .36, p = .011). Our results indicated that the yoga program was associated with statistically and clinically significant improvements in aspects of QOL.

Oh Byeongsang Butow Phyllis Mullan Barbara Clarke Stephen Tattersall Martin Boyer Michael Beale Philip Vardy Janette Pavlakis Nick Larke Linda

The purpose of this survey was to examine patient–doctor communication about the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by adult patients with cancer and compare patients' satisfaction with the consultation between patients who had and those who had not discussed the use of CAM with their doctors. Oncologists from three hospitals screened patients for eligibility. Eligible patients were mailed a letter of invitation with a questionnaire (N = 1,323). Three hundred eighty-one questionnaires were returned. Sixty-five percent of cancer patients used at least one form of CAM. Use of CAM was not discussed with the oncologist by 55% of respondents using biologically based CAM and by 80% of those using non–biologically based CAM since the diagnosis of cancer. Patients who discussed the use of biologic CAM with their oncologists were more satisfied with the consultation than those who had not (p = .027), whereas there were no significant differences between patients who discussed or did not discuss use of non–biologically based CAM (p = .102). A substantial proportion of cancer patients do not discuss the use of CAM with their oncologists. It is important to improve patient–doctor communication about the use of CAM to increase patients' satisfaction with the oncology consultation.

Thomas Jerah Beinhorn Curtiss Norton Dena Richardson Michael Sumler Sat-Siri Frenkel Moshe

Over one-third of Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The prevalence among cancer patients may even be higher. Complementary therapies may reduce possible symptom burdens caused by conventional cancer treatments. Integrating CAM therapies has become more common and more accepted in clinical oncology. However, little research is available on beneficial CAM therapies for radiation therapy patients. This article reviews potential CAM therapies that have been shown to be effective in decreasing the symptom burden related to radiation therapy treatments and includes clinical observations from CAM practitioners in a comprehensive cancer center.