PDF herunterladen
Homœopathic Links 2019; 32(03): 131-140
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1698827
Review Article
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials of Homeopathy in Adverse Effects of Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy in Cancer

Purnima Shukla
1   Department of Materia Medica, Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
,
Chaturbhuja Nayak
1   Department of Materia Medica, Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
,
Mirza Qaiser Baig
2   Department of Radiotherapy, BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
,
Purak Misra
3   Department of Minimal Access and General Surgery, ESIC Hospital, New Delhi, India
› Institutsangaben Funding We received no funding for the project. The institution has no role to play in analysis of the study results and publication of the paper.
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
11. Oktober 2019 (online)

    Lizenzen und Reprints

Abstract

Background The results of several studies indicated that conventional treatment based on surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy is often associated with adverse side effects. Recent studies suggest that patients with cancer (average 31.4%) used complementary therapy at some stage of their illness, and homeopathic medicines might be used to enhance survival and improve quality of life in cancer patients. The aim of this systematic review is to systematically review the literature on homeopathic-controlled clinical studies of adverse effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in carcinoma.

Methods Substantive research articles, conference proceedings and master and doctoral theses published between 1 January 1981 and 31 December 2018 were eligible. Methodology was assessed by Jadad's scoring, internal validity by Cochrane tool and model validity by Mathie's criteria.

Results Eight trials were eligible. Few trials were positive, especially those testing complex formulations. Methodological quality was diverse; five trials had ‘Unclear’ risk of bias. Model validity was compromised. Proof supporting individualised homeopathy remained inconclusive.

Discussion The trials were positive (evidence level A), but inconsistent and suffered from methodological heterogeneity, incomplete study reporting, inadequacy of independent replications and small sample sizes. Further trials are warranted.

Keywords

systematic review - homeopathy - cancer - adverse effects - chemotherapy - radiotherapy - controlled trials

Authors' Contributions

▪ PS: Conceptualisation; data curation; investigation; methodology; project administration; resources; formal analysis; roles/writing—original draft; writing—review and editing.


▪ CN, MQB, PM: Conceptualisation; data curation; project administration; supervision; writing—review and editing.


 

  • References

  • 1 WHO. (2018). Latest global cancer data: International agency for research on cancer. Available from: https://www.who.int/cancer/PRGlobocanFinal.pdf ; last accessed March. 28, 2019
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Siegel RL, Torre LA, Jemal A. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin 2018; 68 (06) 394-424
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Goi T, Nakazawa T, Kimura Y. , et al. Retrospective analysis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in colorectal cancer patients treated with antiemetics. J Palliat Care Med 2012; 1: 6
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Coleman MP, Quaresma M, Berrino F. , et al; CONCORD Working Group. Cancer survival in five continents: a worldwide population-based study (CONCORD). Lancet Oncol 2008; 9 (08) 730-756
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Molassiotis A, Fernández-Ortega P, Pud D. , et al. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer patients: a European survey. Ann Oncol 2005; 16 (04) 655-663
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Gaertner K, Müllner M, Friehs H. , et al. Additive homeopathy in cancer patients: Retrospective survival data from a homeopathic outpatient unit at the Medical University of Vienna. Complement Ther Med 2014; 22 (02) 320-332
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Frass M, Friehs H, Thallinger C. , et al. Influence of adjunctive classical homeopathy on global health status and subjective wellbeing in cancer patients - a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med 2015; 23 (03) 309-317
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Milazzo S, Russell N, Ernst E. Efficacy of homeopathic therapy in cancer treatment. Eur J Cancer 2006; 42 (03) 282-289
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Kassab S, Cummings M, Berkovitz S, van Haselen R, Fisher P. Homeopathic medicines for adverse effects of cancer treatments. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009; (02) CD004845
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG. ; PRISMA Group. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. BMJ 2009; 339: b2535
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Liberati A, Altman DG, Tetzlaff J. , et al. The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. PLoS Med 2009; 6 (07) e1000100
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Beller EM, Glasziou PP, Altman DG. , et al; PRISMA for Abstracts Group. PRISMA for Abstracts: reporting systematic reviews in journal and conference abstracts. PLoS Med 2013; 10 (04) e1001419
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Shamseer L, Moher D, Clarke M. , et al; PRISMA-P Group. Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015: elaboration and explanation. BMJ 2015; 350: g7647
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Moher D, Shamseer L, Clarke M. , et al; PRISMA-P Group. Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Syst Rev 2015; 4: 1
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Jadad AR, Moore RA, Carroll D. , et al. Assessing the quality of reports of randomized clinical trials: is blinding necessary?. Control Clin Trials 1996; 17 (01) 1-12
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Higgins JP, Altman DG, Gøtzsche PC. , et al; Cochrane Bias Methods Group; Cochrane Statistical Methods Group. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials. BMJ 2011; 343: d5928
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Sterne J, Higgins J, Reeves B. , Eds. A Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool: for non-randomized studies of interventions (ACROBAT-NRSI). Version 1.0.0, 24 September 2014. Available: http://www.riskofbias.info
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Sterne JA, Hernán MA, Reeves BC. , et al. ROBINS-I: a tool for assessing risk of bias in non-randomised studies of interventions. BMJ 2016; 355: i4919
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Mathie RT, Lloyd SM, Legg LA. , et al. Randomised placebo-controlled trials of individualised homeopathic treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis. Syst Rev 2014; 3: 142
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Mathie RT, Van Wassenhoven M, Jacobs J. , et al. Model validity of randomised placebo-controlled trials of individualised homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy 2015; 104 (03) 164-169
    Artikel in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Sencer SF, Zhou T, Freedman LS. , et al. Traumeel S in preventing and treating mucositis in young patients undergoing SCT: a report of the Children's Oncology Group. Bone Marrow Transplant 2012; 47 (11) 1409-1414
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Pérol D, Provençal J, Hardy-Bessard AC. , et al. Can treatment with Cocculine improve the control of chemotherapy-induced emesis in early breast cancer patients? A randomized, multi-centered, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial. BMC Cancer 2012; 12: 603
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Oberbaum M, Yaniv I, Ben-Gal Y. , et al. A randomized, controlled clinical trial of the homeopathic medication TRAUMEEL S in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis in children undergoing stem cell transplantation. Cancer 2001; 92 (03) 684-690
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 Balzarini A, Felisi E, Martini A, De Conno F. Efficacy of homeopathic treatment of skin reactions during radiotherapy for breast cancer: a randomised, double-blind clinical trial. Br Homeopath J 2000; 89 (01) 8-12
    Artikel in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Kulkarni A, Nagarkar BM, Burde GS. Radiation protection by use of homoeopathic medicines. Hahnemann Hom Sand 1988; 12: 20-23
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Daub EA, Gerhard I, Bastert G. Homeopathic antiemetics in Chemotherapy: a prospective, randomized trial. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2000; 60: 157
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Pommier P, Gomez F, Sunyach MP, D'Hombres A, Carrie C, Montbarbon X. Phase III randomized trial of Calendula officinalis compared with trolamine for the prevention of acute dermatitis during irradiation for breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2004; 22 (08) 1447-1453
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar