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Original Article
- Perceptions and Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Patients with Cancer and Their Family Members (KCSG PC21-19)
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Young-Woong Won1
, Sun Young Rha2
, Jung Hye Kwon3
, Yu Jung Kim4, Shin Hye Yoo5, Myung Ah Lee6, Jung Hun Kang7, Sun Jin Sym8, Young Saing Kim8, Sang-Cheol Lee9, Myung-Won Lee10, Hye Sook Han11, Sang-Gon Park12, Eun-Kee Song13, Jin Young Kim14, Seong Hoon Shin15, Chi Hoon Maeng16, Keun Seok Lee17, Hyun Woo Lee18, Woo Kyun Bae19, Kyu-Hyoung Lim20, Yoon Jung Chang21, Han Byul Lee22, Jung Sun Kim23 -
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4143/crt.2025.1251 [Accepted]
Published online: June 11, 2026
This article has been accepted for publication following full peer review and is provided as an unedited Accepted Article to allow early access to its findings. It has not yet undergone copyediting, typesetting, pagination, or proofreading, and the final Version of Record may differ from this version.
1Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University Guri Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Guri, Korea
2Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
3Division of Hemato-oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, Chung Ang University College of Medicine, Gwangmyeong, Korea
4Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea
5Center for Palliative Care and Clinical Ethics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
6Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
7Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
8Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
9Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
10Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
11Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea
12Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea
13Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonbuk National University College of Medicine, Jeonju, Korea
14Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
15Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
16Division of Medical Oncology-Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
17Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
18Department of Hematology-Oncology, Ajou University Hospital, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
19Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Korea
20Department of Internal Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea
21National Cancer Survivorship Center, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
22Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, Korea
23Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Chungnam National University, Sejong, Korea
2Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
3Division of Hemato-oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, Chung Ang University College of Medicine, Gwangmyeong, Korea
4Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea
5Center for Palliative Care and Clinical Ethics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
6Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
7Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, Korea
8Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
9Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
10Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
11Department of Internal Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea
12Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea
13Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonbuk National University College of Medicine, Jeonju, Korea
14Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
15Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
16Division of Medical Oncology-Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
17Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
18Department of Hematology-Oncology, Ajou University Hospital, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
19Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Hwasun, Korea
20Department of Internal Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea
21National Cancer Survivorship Center, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
22Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, Korea
23Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Chungnam National University, Sejong, Korea
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Corresponding author:
Jung Hye Kwon
Tel: 82-2-2610-6628
Email: kwonjhye.onco@gmail.com
- Young-Woong Won and Sun Young Rha contributed equally to this work.
Received: 18 November 2025 • Accepted: 7 June 2026
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Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to assess the awareness, perception, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among Korean patients with cancer and their caregivers. Furthermore, it evaluated CAM information sources, the reliability of these sources, communication patterns with clinicians, and the effect of caregiver beliefs on the use of CAM and patients’ attitudes toward CAM.
Materials and Methods
A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted from September 2021 to January 2022 across 19 hospitals in South Korea. Adult patients with cancer and their accompanying caregivers were recruited via convenience sampling from outpatient oncology clinics and inpatient settings and completed a structured questionnaire. Data from 1,804 patients and 768 family members were analyzed using descriptive statistics and appropriate comparative tests.
Results
Among patients, 47.2% had heard of CAM, and 41.0% expressed belief in it. Biologically based therapies were the most commonly used form of CAM among users (55.0%). The primary sources of CAM information were family/relatives (24.8%) and television (23.8%), whereas medical professionals accounted for only 5.4% of sources, although doctors and nurses were perceived as the most reliable (mean reliability: 3.43 on a 5-point scale). A significant communication gap was observed, with 71.7% of patients not discussing CAM with their medical professionals. Common reasons for non-disclosure included a lack of patient interest (39.4% of non-disclosers), the perception that CAM was irrelevant to their doctors (27.6%), and concerns about physician disapproval. Among patients who did consult their clinicians, 60.8% were advised against CAM use. Caregivers’ CAM beliefs significantly influenced patients’ beliefs (odds ratio [OR], 4.242; p<0.001), although this did not translate into a statistically significant direct effect on CAM use by patients (OR, 1.449; p=0.105).
Conclusion
CAM awareness and use are substantial among Korean patients with cancer; however, a critical communication gap with healthcare providers persists. Family members are key information sources, and caregiver beliefs influence patient beliefs regarding CAM. Proactive, empathetic, and evidence-based communication about CAM is essential to promote shared decision-making and ensure safe, patient-centered integrative cancer care.
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