Use of Complementary or Alternative Medicine Practices by Women at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer
Use of Complementary or Alternative Medicine Practices by Women at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer
RATIONALE: Increasing knowledge about the complementary or alternative medicine practices used by women who are at increased risk for breast cancer may provide useful information for planning breast-cancer-prevention strategies.
PURPOSE: Clinical trial to determine how many women who are at increased risk for breast cancer use complementary or alternative medicine.
OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the prevalence of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) practices among adult women who are enrolled in the Risk Assessment Clinic at the National Naval Medical Center Breast Care Center and are found to be at increased risk for developing breast cancer. II. Correlate the use of CAM with individual risk for breast cancer. III. Define the types of CAM practices used by this study population. IV. Identify reasons why this study population is using CAM.
OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine practices (enteral/parenteral vs psychologic/neurologic). Patients complete a Personal Risk Assessment form, pre-test/post-test knowledge questionnaires, and a survey questionnaire.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 102 patients will be accrued for this study within approximately 2 years.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Enrolled in the Risk Assessment Clinic (RAC) of the National Naval Medical Center and found to be at increased risk for breast cancer based on at least one of the following: Estimated risk of at least 1.7% for developing breast cancer over the next 5 years, as determined by the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT) Prior history of lobular carcinoma in situ or ductal carcinoma in situ Family history of breast or ovarian cancer consistent with autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance or empirically elevated risk of breast cancer based on a single first- or second-degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer Must have attended the RAC education session within past 3-6 months Hormone receptor status: Not specified
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Sex: Female Menopausal status: Not specified Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Other: No other prior cancer except ductal carcinoma in situ or basal cell carcinoma Able to read and understand English
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Not specified