Feasibility of Integrating Homeopathic Approach in a Comprehensive Cancer Center

NCT05833165 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: RMB-0194-22
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 250
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Supportive and palliative care play an important role in cancer treatment, and when introduced early can improve quality of life and may even increase median survival rates, as shown in patients with advanced lung cancer. Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) is a popular supportive approach among oncology patients and is on the rise worldwide. In many countries, homeopathy is being one the CIM methods integrated with a general sense that this treatment is beneficial to the well-being and quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. In this observational study we will evaluate the feasibility of integrating homeopathic approach in patients attending the complementary and integrative oncology service at the division of oncology in Rambam Health Campus in Haifa, Israel, a major referral comprehensive cancer center. This observational study will evaluate three main ingredients of acceptance:

• Obtaining the reasons that patients willing to integrate this supportive approach
• Patient acceptance of this supportive approach as well as compliance with the homeopathic approach
• Obtaining retrospective subjective information from the patients through validated quality of life questionnaires. (MYCaW, Distress Thermometer, and ESAS-R) Measures which are used routinely in integrative oncology encounters.

Conditions

Cancer; Quality of Life; Complementary Medicine; Integrative Medicine

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Feasibility of a supportive approach

  Questionnaire

  6-12 weeks

• Quality of life- Level of Distress

  Distress thermometer

  6-12 weeks

Study Arms (1)

Feasibility of a supportive approach

Evaluating a feasibility of an approach

Behavioral: Feasibility of a supportive approach

Interventions

Feasibility of a supportive approach BEHAVIORAL

Evaluating reasons for patients to use the approach

Feasibility of a supportive approach

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients that elect to use complementary and integrative medicine during cancer care and make a choice to use homeopathy as part of this use

You may qualify if:

• 18 years of age or older
• Ability to read, write, and understand the Hebrew language
• Patients treated at the Division of Oncology in Rambam Health Campus.
• Performance status of ECOG 0-2.
• Consent to participate in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Inability to understand the intent of the study and follow the instructions
• Diagnosis of active psychosis, altered mental state or severe cognitive impairment confirmed by the patient's attending physician.
• Frailty, ECOG worse than 2, or other unstable medical conditions as confirmed by the patient's attending physician including acute illness, fever, unclear rash or medical conditions that would preclude participation in an interview session lasting 15-30 minutes

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rambam Health Care Campus: lead

Study Sites (1)

Rambam Medical Center

Haifa, 30900, Israel

RECRUITING

Related Publications (5)

• Theunissen I, Bagot JL. Supportive cancer care: is integrative oncology the future? Curr Opin Oncol. 2024 Jul 1;36(4):248-252. doi: 10.1097/CCO.0000000000001027. Epub 2024 Feb 23.

  PMID: 38842016 BACKGROUND

• Frenkel M. Is There a Role for Homeopathy in Cancer Care? Questions and Challenges. Curr Oncol Rep. 2015 Sep;17(9):43. doi: 10.1007/s11912-015-0467-8.

  PMID: 26210222 BACKGROUND

• Frass M, Lechleitner P, Grundling C, Pirker C, Grasmuk-Siegl E, Domayer J, Hochmair M, Gaertner K, Duscheck C, Muchitsch I, Marosi C, Schumacher M, Zochbauer-Muller S, Manchanda RK, Schrott A, Burghuber O. Homeopathic Treatment as an Add-On Therapy May Improve Quality of Life and Prolong Survival in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Three-Arm, Multicenter Study. Oncologist. 2020 Dec;25(12):e1930-e1955. doi: 10.1002/onco.13548. Epub 2020 Nov 7.

  PMID: 33010094 BACKGROUND

• Dolev T, Ben-David M, Shahadi I, Freed Y, Zubedat S, Aga-Mizrachi S, Brand Z, Galper S, Jacobson G, Avital A. Attention Dysregulation in Breast Cancer Patients Following a Complementary Alternative Treatment Routine: A Double-Blind Randomized Trial. Integr Cancer Ther. 2021 Jan-Dec;20:15347354211019470. doi: 10.1177/15347354211019470.

  PMID: 34027702 BACKGROUND

• Samuels N, Freed Y, Weitzen R, Ben-David M, Maimon Y, Eliyahu U, Berger R. Feasibility of Homeopathic Treatment for Symptom Reduction in an Integrative Oncology Service. Integr Cancer Ther. 2018 Jun;17(2):486-492. doi: 10.1177/1534735417736133. Epub 2017 Nov 2.

  PMID: 29094627 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms

Study Officials

• Maria Suleymanov, RN

  Rambam Health Care Campus

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Moshe Frenkel, MD

CONTACT

972523311255; frenkelm@netvision.net.il

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 3, 2023
• First Posted: April 27, 2023
• Study Start: January 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2028
• Last Updated: August 7, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IL (1)