Exploring biologically-based complementary and alternative medicine use among Irish cancer survivors: findings from a national survey

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dc.contributor.authorScannell, Clodagh
dc.contributor.authorSullivan, Erin Stella
dc.contributor.authorMatvienko-Sikar, Karen
dc.contributor.authorGrimes, David Robert
dc.contributor.authorPower, Derek
dc.contributor.authorRyan, Aoife
dc.contributor.funderIrish Cancer Society, ICS
dc.contributor.funderHealth Research Board, HRB
dc.contributor.funderBreakthrough Cancer Research, BCR
dc.contributor.funderMarie Keating Foundation, ASTA19RYA
dc.date.accessioned2026-05-22T10:50:12Z
dc.date.available2026-05-22T10:50:12Z
dc.date.issued2026-04-29
dc.description.abstractBackground: Biologically based complementary and alternative medicine (BBCAM) includes special diets, dietary supplement and herbal remedies, not prescribed by a doctor or dietitian. The use of BBCAM is common among cancer survivors. BBCAM can interact with conventional treatments and unregulated products may cause harm. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, types, and motivations for BBCAM use among cancer survivors. Methods: A survey assessed clinical characteristics and BBCAM use in participants >18 yrs who had received cancer treatment in Ireland from 2018 to 2022. Results: Amongst 295 respondents (77% female, mean age 53 yrs), BBCAM use increased from 28% pre-diagnosis to 34% post-diagnosis (p < 0.001). For BBCAM users (n = 97, 33%), “daily-use” increased from 38% to 72% (p < 0.001) post-diagnosis. Common types included: mineral/vitamin supplements (84%), dietary supplements (e.g. turmeric, coenzyme-Q10) (78%), herbal remedies/botanicals (e.g. mistletoe, St. John’s Wort, echinacea, ginseng) (50%), cannabis (21%), and other natural products (laetrile, shark cartilage, apricot kernels) (19%). Biological medicines (GcMAF, immuno-augmentative therapy) were used by 12% of BBCAM users. Special diets including dairy free (32%), gluten-free (19%), intermittent fasting (17%), ketogenic diet (15%), juicing/detox (10%) were also common. Perceived benefits included: improved well-being (63%) and reduced psychological stress (59%). Conclusion: BBCAM use increases after a cancer diagnosis. Patient perceived benefits highlight potential gaps in the current healthcare model, indicating a need for greater emphasis on safe survivorship care.en
dc.description.sponsorshipWe would like to acknowledge Dr Darren Dahly, principal statistician of the Health Research Board Clinical Research Facility, Cork. The authors would also like to thank Ms. Kay Curtin and Ms. Eileen O’Sullivan (RIP) (patient representatives) for their feedback regarding the survey content. The authors would also like to acknowledge the support of The Irish Cancer Society, Breakthrough Cancer Research, Marie Keating Foundation and all the healthcare professionals involved in the dissemination of the survey. This study was funded by the Irish Cancer Society research grant ASTA19RYA. Further funding was made available via Call IV of the Higher Education Authority COVID Fund.
dc.description.versionPublished Version
dc.format.extent12
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.authororcidScannell, Clodagh
dc.identifier.authororcidSullivan, Erin Stella
dc.identifier.authororcidMatvienko-Sikar, Karen§0000-0003-2777-6581
dc.identifier.authororcidGrimes, David Robert
dc.identifier.authororcidPower, Derek
dc.identifier.authororcidRyan, Aoife§0000-0003-4330-9705
dc.identifier.citationScannell, C, Sullivan, E S, Matvienko-Sikar, K, Grimes, D R, Power, D & Ryan, A 2026, 'Exploring biologically-based complementary and alternative medicine use among Irish cancer survivors: findings from a national survey', Oncologist, vol. 31, no. 6, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1093/oncolo/oyag127
dc.identifier.doi10.1093/oncolo/oyag127
dc.identifier.endpage12
dc.identifier.issn1083-7159
dc.identifier.issued6
dc.identifier.journaltitleOncologist
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0003-2777-6581/work/215517876
dc.identifier.otherORCID: /0000-0003-4330-9705/work/215518732
dc.identifier.startpage1
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/18829
dc.identifier.volume31
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherOxford University Press
dc.relation.urihttps://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105038260141
dc.relation.urihttps://academic.oup.com/oncolo/advance-article/doi/10.1093/oncolo/oyag127/8664449
dc.rightsPublisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2026. Published by Oxford University Press. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
dc.rights.accessrightsopen access
dc.rights.licensenameAttribution 4.0 International
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.statusPeer reviewed
dc.subjectBehaviours
dc.subjectCancer
dc.subjectDietary supplements
dc.subjectDiets
dc.subjectNutrition
dc.subjectSurvivorship
dc.subject[FoodNutritionalSciences]
dc.subject[PublicHealth]
dc.subjectsurvivorship
dc.subjectdiets
dc.subjectnutrition
dc.subjectdietary supplements
dc.subjectcancer
dc.subjectbehaviours
dc.titleExploring biologically-based complementary and alternative medicine use among Irish cancer survivors: findings from a national surveyen
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)
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