Complementary and alternative medicine use and hormonal therapy initiation in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: The BQUAL study

Authors

Heather Greenlee
Alfred I. Neugut
Zaixing Shi
Grace Hillyer
Donna Buono
Jeanne S. Mandelblatt
Janise M. Roh
Isaac J. Ergas
Marilyn L. Kwan
Marion Lee
Wei-Yann Tsai
Lois E. Lamerato, Henry Ford HealthFollow
Lawrence H. Kushi
Dawn L. Hershman

Recommended Citation

Greenlee H, Neugut AI, Shi Z, Hillyer G, Buono D, Mandelblatt JS, Roh JM, Ergas IJ, Kwan ML, Lee M, Tsai WY, Lamerato LE, Kushi LH, and Hershman DL. Complementary and alternative medicine use and hormonal therapy initiation in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: The BQUAL study. J Clin Oncol 2017; 35(15).

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

5-30-2017

Publication Title

J Clin Oncol

Abstract

Background: Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been associated with initiation of breast cancer chemotherapy. We examined the association of CAM use with initiation of hormonal therapy in women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer.

Methods: In a prospective cohort study designed to examine predictors of breast cancer treatment initiation and adherence, 699 women with non-metastatic stage I-III breast cancer and aged < 70 years were recruited from Kaiser Permanente Northern California during 2006-2010. Baseline interviews assessed current use of However, vitamins/minerals users were more likely to initiate hormonal therapy compared to non-users (OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.04, 3.51).

Conclusions: CAM use was high among early stage HR+ breast cancer patients. Overall, use of CAM was not associated with hormonal therapy initiation. Current use of vitamins/minerals was associated with higher initiation rate of hormonal chemotherapy.

Volume

35

Issue

15