Feasibility of Integrating Homeopathic Approach in a Comprehensive Cancer Center

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.