Oncologists and other physicians who treat cancer patients should discuss the use of herbal products and other supplements with their patients. Yet oncologists rarely bring up the subject with their patients.
Many people take herbal products and dietary supplements for their health. Patients with cancer may turn to these products to help boost their health and to treat symptoms. Some of these products can have dangerous interactions for with cancer treatments. A survey has found that fewer than half of oncologists discuss herbs and supplements with their patients. Only about 26% of the discussions are started by the oncologist.
Researchers surveyed a random sample of oncologists about their knowledge of and attitudes about herbal products and supplements. The survey found that two-thirds of oncologists questioned feel they do not have enough information about herbs and supplements, which is why they do not bring the subject up. Nearly 60% said they had no education on herbs and supplements.
Eighty percent of those surveyed said they would discourage patients from taking an unknown herbal product while receiving chemotherapy. However, 90% said they would still treat a patient who insisted on taking an unknown herbal product during cancer treatment.
As with every field of medicine, patients should inform their doctors of all the herbal products and supplements they are taking. People think of herbal products and dietary supplements as being "natural" and therefore automatically safe. But any product strong enough to have an effect on health is strong enough to have a side effect or cause an adverse reaction. The makers of herbal products and supplements do not have to prove that they work or provide a benefit, but they are responsible for making sure these products are safe.
Some supplements can cause skin reactions in patients undergoing radiation. Some can interfere with chemotherapy drugs. For example, St. John's wort, Panax ginseng and green tea supplements are herbal products that can produce potentially dangerous interactions with chemotherapy.
A report on the survey was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
