About CAM-Cancer

About CAM-Cancer

CAM-Cancer is the acronym of a project entitled "Concerted Action for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Assessment in the Cancer Field" (CAM-Cancer). This project is currently funded under the European Commission 5th Framework Program.

The aims of CAM-Cancer project are to build a European authoritative network around CAM in cancer with an international panel of experts in CAM research and/or in cancer care with privileged contacts with cancer organizations. The project’s main achievement will be to prepare and disseminate suitable evidence based information for health professionals in order to help them to inform their patients.

The project has a number of key outcomes:

  • CAM summaries
    The CAM Summaries are peer-reviewed and up to date summaries of the existing scientific information on CAM in cancer. The CAM Summaries aim to summarize facts on CAM and to provide clear statement to health professionals. The CAM Summaries will provide information on the CAM background, promoter claims, description of treatment methods, safety issues, documentation with regards to systematic efficacy/ component efficacy/ biologic mechanism.
  • Systematic reviews
    CAM-CANCER experts will conduct systematic reviews according to the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines for systematic review. Published literature will be searched in major scientific medical databases and in specialised databases according to specific characteristics of the examined CAM method. In order to avoid publication bias, unpublished literature will be searched in specialised and private databases.
  • Overview of CAM legal status in Europe
    "How are European patients safeguarded when using complementary and alternative medicine. Jurisdiction, supervision and reimbursement status in the EEA area and Switzerland". This report provides investigation in depth of CAM legal status, reimbursement and supervisory issues at the European level.
  • Common recommendations for searching and reviewing the evidence
    CAM-CANCER experts will prepare common recommendations for searching, gathering and reviewing the literature on CAM in cancer.
  • Network development
    Since October 2002 we have been developing a network of key stakeholders with an interest in CAM.

We welcome other people to get involved in the CAM-Cancer project. Please contact us if you would like to find out how you can become part of this exciting initiative.

Project consortium

About CAM-Cancer

  1. The Swiss Study Group for CAM in Cancer of the Swiss Cancer League (Dr WF Jungi, Prof W Weber). [More]
  2. The Norwegian National Research Center in CAM (Prof V Fonnebo).[More]
  3. The Cochrane Cancer Network (Dr C Williams).[More]
  4. The Department of Complementary Medicine, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth (Prof E Ernst).[More]
  5. The German Cancer Society (Inga Rossion).[More]
  6. The Netherlands Cancer Institute/ Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek Hospital (Prof F Van Dam).[More]
  7. The "Unconventional and Complementary Methods in Oncology Study Group Nuremberg" (Dr M Horneber).[More]
  8. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment in Cancer (S Lejeune).[More]

In addition, partners have decided to appoint additional experts in the project Steering Committee.

  • The "Patient Representative": position vacant
  • The "CAM Representative": Helen Cooke, Bristol Cancer Help Centre, Bristol, UK
  • The "Nurse Representative": Núria Borràs Maixenchs, Hospital Clinic Villarroel, Barcelona, Spain.

Project rationale

The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) by cancer patients is reported to increase. CAM are defined as methods that are not part of standard medical treatment (as described by evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, consensus statements or common medical practice) and are either used alternatively (instead of) or in addition to a standard cancer treatment. These methods represent a great variety ranging from chemically well defined molecules or other substances and mixtures from plant or animal origin to non-material methods like body therapy, spiritual healing or psychosocial procedures.

The reasons why cancer patients use CAM are not fully understood. Possible explanations include that the cancer patients expect to cure the disease and to decrease the side effects of cancer treatments. At a psychosocial level, patients are facing fears about death and they are searching for support and hope.

The challenge for oncologists is to give an objective and responsible answer to this type of demand. An informative dialogue should therefore be offered on all questions and needs of patients and their relatives. The patient autonomy should be respected but the oncologist has to discuss and negotiate a realistic and safe treatment plan with their patients.

Doctors need objective and independent information on CAM methods, especially on safety issues like side effects and possible interactions as well as a critical appraisal of medical evidence. This space shouldn’t be left empty and therefore available to misinformation or any form of quackery.

Cancer patients and the public are flooded with information about CAM. Rumours, the media, and the internet spread accurate and inaccurate information at accelerating rates. It is critical that both patients and physicians have access to reliable evidence-based information. Therefore, initiatives aiming at providing evidence–based information on CAM in cancer are justified. The European level is characterised by scattered resources. Today, the results of these varied initiatives are redundancies of activities and sometimes-outdated publications. A European network is therefore necessary.