The Relevance of Naturopathy as a Therapeutic Tool in the Modern Era: A Narrative Review.

Background: There are numerous reports of remarkable recoveries from diseases through drugless healing systems. In an effort to enhance the understanding of naturopathic therapies, the author, a renowned BNYS doctor specializing in naturopathy, yoga, nutrition, and wellness, aims to explain the importance of drugless therapies in various disease conditions. Objective: To provide a comprehensive overview of the relevance and efficacy of naturopathy as a therapeutic tool in modern healthcare. Drawing on a literature review and the author's expertise, it aims to explore the benefits of drugless healing systems. Methods: This study adopts a narrative review methodology to synthesize existing literature on the efficacy of naturopathy as a therapeutic tool in modern healthcare settings. A comprehensive search strategy was employed, utilizing databases such as PubMed, with keywords including "naturopathy," "drugless healing," "alternative medicine," "therapeutic modalities," and specific interventions such as "hydrotherapy" and "acupuncture." Boolean operators were used to combine terms to ensure the inclusivity of relevant literature. The intervention under investigation involved the effects of naturopathy, fasting, hydrotherapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, acupressure, magnet therapy, therapeutic manipulation, color healing, and other drugless therapies. The primary focus of the reviewed studies was to evaluate the efficacy of naturopathic interventions in improving health outcomes across diverse disease conditions, including cardiac health, skin diseases, cancers, immunity, and metabolic syndrome. Results: The review identified a significant body of literature supporting the efficacy of naturopathic interventions in improving health outcomes across various disease conditions. Studies consistently reported positive effects of drugless healing modalities, including improvements in cardiac health, skin diseases, cancers, immunity, and metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: The findings highlight the relevance and effectiveness of naturopathy as a therapeutic approach in modern healthcare. With its emphasis on lifestyle modifications and non-invasive treatments, naturopathy offers a holistic and cost-effective alternative for addressing lifestyle disorders and enhancing overall well-being.

[Integrative medicine, naturopathic and complementary medicine in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome : An overview against the background of clinical experiences from routine treatment]. / Integrative Medizin, Naturheilkunde und Komplementärmedizin in der Therapie des Fibromyalgiesyndroms : Eine Übersicht vor dem Hintergrund klinischer Erfahrungen aus dem Versorgungsalltag.

Fibromyalgia syndrome is classified as a functional somatic syndrome. There are typical but not clearly defined symptom clusters, such as chronic widespread pain, non-restorative sleep, and a tendency to physical and/or mental exhaustion. The core principle of treatment in the S3 guidelines is a multimodal treatment, especially for severe forms of the disease. Complementary, naturopathic and integrative forms of treatment have an established place in the guidelines. Strong treatment recommendations with a high consensus exist for endurance, weight and functional training. Meditative forms of movement, such as yoga or qigong should also be used. In addition to a lack of physical activity, obesity is also accepted as an associated lifestyle factor and addressed in nutritional therapy and regulation therapy. The central aim is the activation and rediscovery of self-efficacy. Heat applications, such as warm baths/showers, saunas, infrared cabins or exercise in warm thermal water are in accordance with the guidelines. A current field of research is whole-body hyperthermia with water-filtered infrared A radiation. Other self-help strategies are dry brushing according to Kneipp or massaging with rosemary oil, mallow oil or the Aconite pain oil. Taking into account the patients preference, phytotherapeutic agents can also be used as herbal pain treatment (ash bark/trembling poplar bark/goldenrod herb), for sleep disorders in the form of sleep-inducing wraps (lavender heart compress) and internally (valerian, lavender oil capsules, lemon balm). Acupuncture treatment (either ear or body acupuncture) are accepted as part of a multimodal concept. The Clinic for Integrative Medicine and Naturopathy at the Hospital in Bamberg offers the three different formats of inpatient, day clinic and outpatient service covered by the health insurance.

Nano-ayurvedic medicine and its potential in cancer treatment.

Nano-ayurvedic medicine is an emerging field in which nanoparticles are functionalized with active principles of potent ayurvedic herbs to enhance their efficacy and target-specific delivery. Scientific advances in the past couple of decades have revealed the molecular mechanisms behind the anticancer potential of several ayurvedic herbs, attributed chiefly to their secondary metabolites including polyphenols and other active substances. With the advancement of nanotechnology, it has been established that size-, shape-, and surface-chemistry-optimized nanoparticles can be utilized as synergizing carriers for these phytochemicals. Nano-ayurvedic medicine utilizes herbs that are commonly used in Ayurveda to functionalize different nanoparticles and thereby enhance their potency and target specificity. Studies have shown that the active phytochemicals of such herbs can be coated onto the nanoparticles of different metals, such as gold, and that they work more efficiently than the free herbal extract, for example, in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. Recently, an Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH)-based clinical trial in humans indicated the anticancer potential of such formulations. Nano-ayurvedic medicine is emerging as a potential treatment option for hyperproliferative diseases.

Stem Cell Therapy in Combination with Naturopathy: Current Progressive Management of Diabetes and Associated Complications.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder having a global prevalence of nearly doubled over the last 30 years and has become one of the major health concerns worldwide. The number of adults with diabetes increased to 537 million in 2021. INTRODUCTION: The overarching goal of diabetic research and treatment has always been to restore insulin independence and an average blood glucose level. Chemotherapeutic antidiabetic agents can manage diabetes but often show toxicity and drug resistance. Natural phytomedicines may be useful along with stem cell therapy for diabetes management. Even if the whole pancreatic organ and islet transplantation, are becoming benchmark techniques for diabetes management and control, a considerable scarcity of eligible donors of pancreatic tissues and organs severely limits their use. Stem cell treatment provides a bunch of possibilities for treating people with diabetes. METHODS: For this purpose, comprehensive article searching was conducted, with relevant material obtained using search engines such as Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, Google, and others, using appropriate keywords. RESULTS: Stem cell therapies, including induced pluripotent stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells, are now becoming a popular area of investigation. Recent advancements in stem cell therapy might provide a feasible treatment option. Furthermore, in recent years, some novel bioactive compounds derived from plants have demonstrated antidiabetic action with higher potency than oral hypoglycaemic medications. Recent regenerative medicine and stem cell treatment advancements might subsequently provide a feasible diabetic management option. On the other hand, medicinal herbs have been considered a better choice for the extensive treatment of diabetes. CONCLUSION: If proper attention is not given to control diabetes by antidiabetic chemotherapeutic agents, natural phytomedicine, and sophisticated treatment like stem cell therapy, then the lifespan of patients will be decreased, and some associated secondary problems will also arise. So, the present review attempts to discuss naturopathy as an alternative resource in combination with stem cell therapy for the progressive management of diabetes and associated disorders.

Effect of a Structured Naturopathy and Yoga Intervention on Pain, Depression, and Quality of Sleep in a Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patient.

A 54-year-old postmenopausal woman was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACCA) of the right breast. She had complaints of pain in the upper quadrant of the right breast, stress, disturbed sleep, and depression. Her self-reported pain intensity using the visual analog scale (VAS) was 8 and her perceived stress scale value was 19. Her depression score on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was 12. Her quality of sleep, evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), was 18. She was given integrated naturopathy and yoga therapy for 43 days. She showed a reduction in pain, stress, and depression scores. Her quality of sleep also improved after the integrated naturopathy and yoga therapy. Our structured integrated naturopathy and yoga therapy improved pain, stress, depression, and sleep quality in a postmenopausal breast cancer patient and may be used as adjuvant therapy for patients with breast cancer.

An Assessment of Naturopathic Treatments, Health Concerns, and Common Comorbid Conditions in Fibromyalgia Patients: A Retrospective Medical Record Review.

Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic pain, with allodynia and hyperalgesia being the most common signs. Many patients with FM explore, express interest, and use complementary and alternative medicine to help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. However, little is known about the clinical recommendations provided by naturopathic doctors (NDs). Objective: To describe trends in assessment and treatment of patients with FM by NDs. Methods: Retrospectively, medical records of 200 patients with the FM ICD-10 code were reviewed from the Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic. Of these records, 70 met inclusion criteria and were further analyzed. Comorbid conditions, health concerns, physical and psychological examinations, and treatment were recorded. Patients were excluded if informed consent for research was not signed. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Board of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Results: Seventy patients met criteria and were included in the current analysis. Most patients identified as female (96%). Vitamin D (57%), magnesium (54%), omega-3 fish oil (53%), acupuncture by an acupuncturist (53%) or an ND (40%), B12 orally or by injection (40%), and probiotics (40%) were highly utilized treatments. A past/current medical history of digestive complaints (64%) and depression/mental illness (63%) were common comorbidities, alongside a history of arthritic conditions (53%) and anxiety (43%). A family history of arthritic conditions (47%) was also prevalent. The Widespread Pain Index and Symptom Severity tool (43%) was used to assess pain and other symptoms. No adverse effects of treatment were readily identifiable. Conclusion: Findings from this study reveal elements of both consistency and variability in the treatment recommendations from NDs in a teaching clinic environment. Future research that assesses or compares treatment recommendations for FM in other settings may be informative to better understand health services, the nature of individualized care, and patient experiences.

Naturopathy utilisation by Australian women with diagnosed endometriosis: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Endometriosis is a painful female reproductive disease resulting in unmet health needs. Women with endometriosis frequently access different types of health care, yet little is known about naturopathic use. The purpose of this study is to explore the naturopathic utilisation by women with endometriosis in Australia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study reports a cross-sectional survey of Australian women with endometriosis. Participants were recruited through the not-for-profit organisations Endometriosis Australia and EndoActive social media platforms. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire by those eligible to participate. Participants were included if they self-reported a diagnosis of endometriosis via laparoscopic surgery and were an Australian resident. RESULTS: Of the recruited 303 women with endometriosis, 60 women reported consulting with a naturopath for endometriosis care. Women consulting with a naturopath, reported also consulting with a laparoscopic surgeon (66.7%, p = 0.01), acupuncturist (53.3%, p ≤ 0.01), physiotherapist (41.7%, p = 0.01), nutritionists/dietitians (n = 22, 36.7%, p = 0.01) or homeopath (15.0%, p ≤ 0.001), in addition to their naturopath in the previous 12 months for endometriosis management. Compared to non-naturopathic users, women reported frequently experiencing dyspareunia (OR 2.9, CI 1.4-5.9, p = 0.002) and reported a higher use of vitamin D supplementation for endometriosis management (OR 4.9, CI 2.5-9.9, p ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSION: Women who use naturopathy for endometriosis appear to be high users of health care services, both within complementary medicine and conventional medicine. The efficacy and role of naturopathic treatments and care for women with endometriosis requires further investigation.

Recurrence of Breast Cancer After Primary Treatment: A Matched Comparison Study of Disease-Free Survival in Women Who Do and Do Not Receive Adjunctive Naturopathic Oncology Care.

PURPOSE: To compare disease free survival experienced by women who received usual oncologic care compared to a cohort of women who received naturopathic oncology care in addition to usual care. METHODS: Women with breast cancer who received naturopathic oncology (NO) care in Western Washington State (WA) (N = 176) were recruited to a prospective study of clinical health-related quality of life outcomes and then matched to women who received usual care (UC) only (N = 334). RESULTS: Among 510 women with breast cancer stages 1 to 3, a total of 50 women (10%) experienced a disease-free survival (DFS) ending event within the observation period; 23 (6.8% of those in the UC cohort, and 27 (15.3% of those in the NO cohort (P < .05). Although, women in the 2 cohorts received similar surgical, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment, women with breast cancer who received naturopathic oncology adjunctive care were less likely to use anti-estrogen therapy, and experienced poorer DFS (logrank test, P < .05). However, differences in DFS could not be shown to be due to cohort differences in anti-estrogen therapy, baseline HRQOL, or naturopathic oncology therapies prescribed. The stage 3 women in the naturopathic oncology group had more advanced disease at diagnosis. They were more likely to have 5 or more metastatic lymph nodes at baseline (18.5%) compared to their usual care matched control group (13%). Women in the naturopathic oncology group also had higher grade tumors at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Results show that recurrence of breast cancer was associated with more advanced malignant lymph node involvement; and that naturopathic oncology services provided in 2009-2015 did not improve disease-free survival in these high-risk breast cancer patients.

[Creating evidence for naturopathic nursing interventions in oncology - a systematic approach]. / Generierung von Evidenz zu naturheilkundlichen Pflegeinterventionen in der Onkologie ­ ein systematisches Verfahren.

BACKGROUND: Nurses working in oncology use a wide range of naturopathic interventions in their daily practice to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life of oncological patients. However, there is no external evidence for many of these interventions. Due to a lack of scientific studies in the field, the aim of the project described here is to develop a standardized procedure to generate evidence on naturopathic interventions, on the basis of which recommendations may be derived for nursing practice. METHOD: The systematic procedure presented here was developed by the working group (WG) Integrative Nursing in Oncology over a period of four years in an iterative process. This process is based on the expert panel members' experience with the development of guidelines and/or quality instruments such as practice standards. RESULT: The systematic methodological approach presented here consists of three successive steps where internal and external evidence have been combined: a scoping review, a structured consensus process with oncology nurses to collect and evaluate naturopathic interventions, and finally a further supplementary literature review based on additional findings of the consensus conference. The procedure was successfully carried out for mucositis, insomnia, fatigue, hand-foot syndrome and chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy. CONCLUSION: Through the step-by-step synthesis of internal evidence and the best available external evidence, the evidence base for naturopathic nursing interventions in oncology can be generated and practice recommendations derived. The procedure represents a successful theory-practice transfer through structured cooperation between (nursing) scientists and nursing practitioners. In terms of the AWMF classification, the practice recommendations developed in the process described fall somewhere in between an S1 guideline (informal consensus of an expert group) and an S2e guideline (evidence-based).

Naturopathic Management of Urinary Tract Infections: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Introduction: Antibiotic overuse is a significant driver of bacterial resistance. Urinary tract infections (UTIs, cystitis) are the most common condition for which antibiotics are prescribed in the ambulatory setting. Many complementary and integrative approaches to cystitis have been proposed, including probiotics, D-mannose, and several herbal therapies. Trials comparing such therapies with placebo or antibiotics showed mixed, but promising, results. Naturopathy is a system of medicine that has potential to avoid antibiotic use for UTI because of its affinity for nonpharmacologic therapies and its theory that infection is a result of both the immune system's vulnerability and the pathogen's virulence. Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of cases treated at four naturopathic clinics in the Portland, OR, metro area, where naturopathic doctors (NDs) have a scope of practice consistent with their license as primary care providers. The primary aim was to characterize how NDs treat UTIs in a real-world setting. Secondary aims were to gather preliminary evidence on the types of patient cases receiving such treatments, outcomes of treatments, and associations between presentation and treatment prescriptions. Results: The authors found 82 distinct treatment regimens among 103 individual patients diagnosed with UTI. Most patients received a combination of herbal medicine and behavioral modification (e.g., increase fluid intake), whereas the most common monotherapeutic regimen was antibiotics. Of the 43 patients who were followed up, 15 had no success with nonpharmacologic therapies and required antibiotics. The sample was comparable with national data regarding composition of public versus private insurance, acute versus recurrent/chronic UTI, and percent of cases related to uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Conclusions: NDs practicing in a primary care context frequently prescribe antibiotic and nonantibiotic multimodal therapy for uncomplicated UTI. These results may guide future studies testing complementary and integrative therapies for uncomplicated UTI.

Knowledge Dissemination by the Naturopathic Profession: A Bibliometric Analysis of Naturopath-Authored, Peer-Reviewed Publications.

Objectives: This study aims to describe the characteristics of published peer-reviewed journal articles authored by naturopathic practitioners (NPs) Design: The study used bibliometric analysis of data extracted from journal articles. Settings/Location: International Subjects: Articles were included if they had at least one author with a naturopathic qualification and were published in a peer-reviewed, indexed journal. Data collection: A snowballing method was used between June 2018 and July 2019 to identify relevant articles. Outcome measures: Data related to geography, affiliation, year of publication, article type or research design, article topic, and journal were extracted from each included article. Results: Identified articles (n = 2,218) were published by NP from 22 countries between 1987 and 2019, with 80.9% published in the last 10 years. Most articles were published by NP from the America (52.5%) and Western Pacific (28.3%) World Health Organization regions. The most common type of study design or article type was reviews and meta-analyses (23.2%) and clinical trials or intervention studies (19.4%). Explicit mention of naturopathy was reported in 8.1% of articles. Almost half (48.4%) of all included articles were published in 40 journals, and 56.9% of these were published in journals ranked in the first quartile of at least one subject area. Articles focused on mental health were more likely to be conducted in Australia (odds ratio [OR] 3.3) and focused on lifestyle behavior (OR 2.5) or clinical nutrition (OR 1.6). Articles about cancer or cancer-related conditions were more likely to include lifestyle behavior (OR 2.0) and less likely to be conducted in Australia (OR 0.1) or Germany (OR 0.5). Conclusions: The international naturopathy research community has produced peer-reviewed literature for over 30 years and has demonstrated sustained commitment to codifying existing knowledge, generating new knowledge, and disseminating this knowledge to the wider clinical and research community.

Do women who consult with naturopaths or herbalists have a healthy lifestyle?: a secondary analysis of the Australian longitudinal study on women's health.

BACKGROUND: Australians report consulting with a naturopaths or herbalists to improve their wellbeing, yet little is known about the associations between these consultations and the patients' health behaviours. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the relationship between health behaviour and consultations with naturopaths or herbalists in three age cohorts of Australian women. METHODS: Women aged 19-25 years, 31-36 years, and 62-67 years from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) were surveyed regarding smoking, alcohol or drug use, physical activity and dietary behaviour; and whether they consulted with naturopath/herbalists in the last 12 months. Associations were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 9151 (19-25 years), 8200 (31-36 years) and 11,344 (62-67 years) women were included in the analysis. Between 7.3 and 11.9% of women reported to have consulted with naturopaths/herbalists in the last 12 months. Women of all cohorts consulting with naturopath/herbalist were less likely to smoke (19-25 yrs.: Odds Ratio [OR] 0.61; 31-36 years: OR 0.58; 62-67 years: OR 0.29), more likely to report at least moderate levels of physical activity (19-25 yrs.: OR 1.41; 31-36 years: OR 1.34; 62-67 years: OR 1.34), and the use of vegetarian diets(19-25 yrs.: OR 1.40; 31-36 years: OR 1.77; 62-67 years: OR 2.28), compared to women not consulting with naturopaths/herbalists. Women consulting with naturopaths/herbalists however were also more likely to have used marijuana (19-25 yrs.: OR 1.18; 31-36 years: OR 1.42), or illicit drugs in the last 12 months (19-25 yrs.: OR 1.24; 31-36 years: OR 1.40). CONCLUSIONS: Consultations with a naturopath or herbalist are associated with positive health behaviours that are protective of internationally important non-communicable diseases. Psychoactive drug use is also reported among women visiting a naturopath or herbalist. Further research is needed to understand the role naturopaths play in advising patients with regards to health and non-healthy behaviours.

Impact of naturopathy, yoga, and dietary interventions as adjuvant chemotherapy in the management of stage II and III adenocarcinoma of the colon.

INTRODUCTION: Naturopathy, Yoga and Dietary interventions are known to improve the quality of life in cancer patients. We aim to evaluate the effect of naturopathy interventions along with adjuvant chemotherapy in patients who underwent surgery for Adenocarcinoma of the Colon. METHODS: A total of 116 adult patients were randomised in to one of the two groups; the experimental group received naturopathy, Yoga and Dietary interventions and the control group received psycho-social counselling in addition to standard chemotherapy. Haematological, biochemical and psychological evaluations were performed at set intervals during a total period of eighteen months starting from the first cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Results showed that the overall hemoglobin (p < 0.0001) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (p = 0.0038) levels were statistically significant in patients on the experimental arm. The rest of the laboratory parameters, viz. total leukocyte count, platelet counts, and serum creatinine levels, for overall data was not statistically significant in both the groups. Psychological attributes such as anxiety, depression, symptom severity, and Functional Living Index: Cancer (FLIC) were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.0001) in the experimental subjects as compared with those in the control. On the whole, men benefited more than women from the study interventions. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that Yoga and Naturopathy interventions in addition to chemotherapy show improvement in overall functional life index along with improvement in haemoglobin in patients with stages II and III Adenocarcinoma of Colon.

Effect of yoga and naturopathy-based lifestyle modification on left ventricular ejection fraction in a patient with severe triple vessel disease: A case report.

A 75-year-old, married man was diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD) [severe triple vessel disease (TVD)] in the 2nd week, June-2018. The physician advised him to undergo conventional medication and coronary artery bypass graft. Since the patient refused to undergo surgery he was admitted in our hospital and underwent yoga and naturopathy-based lifestyle modification (YNLM) along with conventional medicines for 16 weeks [12 weeks of intensive care at inpatient department and 4 weeks at outpatient department (OPD)]. After 16 weeks, the patient visited our OPD once/twice a month for 6 months. An increase in left ventricular ejection fraction from 35 to 48%; and a reduction in weight from 77.5 to 71-kg, and BMI from 26.60 to 24-kg/m2 were observed after 6 months of follow-up compared with baseline. Thus, YNLM might be considered as an adjuvant in reducing risk factor and in improving left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with CAD (severe-TVD). However, further studies are required to establish the efficacy of YNLM for CAD.

Naturopathic Oncology Care for Pediatric Cancers: A Practice Survey.

Background: The majority of pediatric oncology patients report use of complementary and alternative medicine. Some naturopathic doctors (NDs) provide supportive pediatric oncology care; however, little information exists to formally describe this clinical practice. A survey was conducted with members of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians (OncANP.org) to describe recommendations across four therapeutic domains: natural health products (NHPs), nutrition, physical medicine, and mental/emotional support. Results: We had 99 respondents with a wide variance of clinical experience and aptitude to treat children with cancer. Of the majority (52.5%) of respondents who choose not to treat these children, the three primary reasons for this are lack of public demand (45.1%), institutional or clinic restrictions (21.6%), and personal reasons/comfort (19.6%). The 10 most frequently considered NHPs by all NDs are fish-derived omega-3 fatty acid (83.3%), vitamin D (83.3%), probiotics (82.1%), melatonin (73.8%), vitamin C (72.6%), homeopathic Arnica (69.0%), turmeric/curcumin (67.9%), glutamine (66.7%), Astragalus membranaceus (64.3%), and Coriolus versicolor/PSK (polysaccharide K) extracts (61.9%). The top 5 nutritional recommendations are anti-inflammatory diets (77.9%), dairy restriction (66.2%), Mediterranean diet (66.2%), gluten restriction (61.8%), and ketogenic diet (57.4%). The top 5 physical modality interventions are exercise (94.1%), acupuncture (77.9%), acupressure (72.1%), craniosacral therapy (69.1%), and yoga (69.1%). The top 5 mental/emotional interventions are meditation (79.4%), art therapy (77.9%), mindfulness-based stress reduction (70.6%), music therapy (70.6%), and visualization therapy (67.6%). Conclusion: The results of our clinical practice survey highlight naturopathic interventions across four domains with a strong rationale for further inquiry in the care of children with cancer.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines among Cancer Patients: A Single-Center Study.

PURPOSE: It is usual for cancer patients to use complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) and yet the literature evaluating their efficacy in cancer patients is very limited. The objective of the present study was to report on the nature, frequency of use, and patient-reported outcome of CAMs in a single-center study. METHODS: All the consecutive patients treated between November 2017 and June 2018 at the Lucien Neuwirth Cancer Institute (France) were screened. Their reasons for using CAMs and their usage habits were collected. Patients evaluated their benefit. RESULTS: Of the 209 patients screened, 200 patients were included. CAMs ranged from osteopathy, homeopathy, acupuncture, healing touch, magnetism, naturopathy, suction cups, Chinese medicine, reflexology, to hypnosis. CAMs were widely used (n = 166, 83%), the first being osteopathy (n = 99, 49.5%), the second homeopathy (n = 78, 39.0%), and finally acupuncture (n = 76, 38.0%). Whatever the CAM, high satisfaction rates were reported (median satisfaction: 61-81%). CAMs were mainly used to prevent/treat side effects of anticancer treatments (81.2% for healing touch), increase well-being (55.4% for naturopathy), improve the immune system (16.9% for homeopathy), and treat cancer (n = 3, 5.1% for homeopathy). Patients could easily consider using CAMs, as up to 50.8% would have accepted a consultation. CONCLUSIONS: The reasons for using CAMs differed among patients. They praised CAMs and kept asking for more information although there is limited evidence about their efficacy in the literature. Thus, prospective randomized controlled trials exploring the safety and efficacy of CAMs in cancer patients are needed.