Oncology Researchers' and Clinicians' Perceptions of Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine: An International, Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM) has become an increasingly popular supportive therapy option for patients with cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate how researchers and clinicians in the oncology field perceive CAIM. Methods: We conducted an online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey for researchers and clinicians who have published their work in oncology journals that are indexed in MEDLINE. The link to the survey was sent to 47, 991 researchers and clinicians whose contact information was extracted from their publications. The survey included various multiple-choice questions, and one open-ended question at the end to allow for any additional comments. Results: 751 respondents completed the survey, and they mostly identified themselves as researchers (n=329, 45.13%), or as both researchers and clinicians (n=332, 45.45%) in the field of oncology. Over half of the respondents perceive mind-body therapies (n=354, 54.97%) to be the most promising CAIM category with regards to the prevention, treatment, and/or management of diseases related to oncology, and many respondents agreed that most CAIM therapies are safe (n=218, 37.39%), and that clinicians should receive training on CAIM therapies via formal (n=225, 38.59%) and supplemental education (n=290, 49.83%). However, many respondents were unsure when asked if most CAIM therapies are effective (n=202, 34.77%). Conclusions: The findings from this study demonstrated great current interest in the use of CAIM in oncology. This information can serve as a foundation for conducting additional research and creating customized educational materials for researchers and clinicians in oncology. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Clinical Protocols ### Funding Statement This study was unfunded. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: This study received approval from the University Tubingen Research Ethics board before commencement (REB Number: 389/2023BO2). I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes All data and materials associated with this study have been posted on the Open Science Framework.