Anja Thronicke1, Shiao Li Oei2, Antje Merkle3, Cornelia Herbstreit4, Hans-Peter Lemmens5, Christian Grah6, Matthias Kröz7, Harald Matthes8, Friedemann Schad9. 1. Research Institute Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: anja.thronicke@havelhoehe.de. 2. Research Institute Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: shiaoli.oei@havelhoehe.de. 3. Research Institute Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany; Oncological Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: antje.merkle@havelhoehe.de. 4. Oncological Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany; Breast Cancer Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: cornelia.herbstreit@havelhoehe.de. 5. Oncological Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany; Colon and Rectum Cancer Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: lemmenshp@aol.com. 6. Oncological Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany; Lung Cancer Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: christian.grah@havelhoehe.de. 7. Research Institute Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany; Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10098 Berlin, Germany; Institute for Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, 58313 Witten, Herdecke, Germany. Electronic address: matthias.kroez@havelhoehe.de. 8. Oncological Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany; Medical Department, Division of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: harald.matthes@havelhoehe.de. 9. Research Institute Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany; Oncological Centre, Hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, 14089 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: fschad@havelhoehe.de.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The concept of integrative oncology (IO) comprising guideline-oriented standard and add-on complementary medicine has gained growing importance. The Anthroposophic-integrative Cancer Centre (CC) at the hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus (GKH) in Berlin has been implementing IO concepts during recent years. Furthermore, it is a certified CC and has been annually audited by national cancer authorities since 2012. The objective of the present study was to evaluate IO concepts of the certified CC GKH. METHODS: Clinical, demographic, integrative treatment and follow-up data were analyzed between 2011 and 2016. In addition, CC GKH quality measures were compared with those of nationwide benchmarking CCs. RESULTS: Between 2011 and 2016, 2.382 primary cancer patients, median age 66 years, were treated at the CC GKH. 70.1% of the patients showed either Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage 0, I, II or III and 25.6% were in UICC stage IV. IO therapies included surgery (64.4% of patients), radiation (41.2%), and application of cytostatic drugs (53.9%), add-on mistletoe therapy (30.5%), and non-pharmacological interventions (87.3%). Regarding psycho-oncological support and quota of patient's enrollment in studies the CC GKH performs above nationwide benchmarks. Research outcomes including safety issues, clinical impact as well as patient's health-related quality of life are continuously evaluated and integrated into hospital's decision-management. CONCLUSION: This analysis reveals that IO concepts are applied to a high proportion of male and female primary cancer patients of all age groups, indicating a successful implementation at the certified CC GKH. Ongoing clinical evaluations have been initiated and cost-effectiveness comparisons are under analyses.
OBJECTIVE: The concept of integrative oncology (IO) comprising guideline-oriented standard and add-on complementary medicine has gained growing importance. The Anthroposophic-integrative Cancer Centre (CC) at the hospital Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus (GKH) in Berlin has been implementing IO concepts during recent years. Furthermore, it is a certified CC and has been annually audited by national cancer authorities since 2012. The objective of the present study was to evaluate IO concepts of the certified CC GKH. METHODS: Clinical, demographic, integrative treatment and follow-up data were analyzed between 2011 and 2016. In addition, CC GKH quality measures were compared with those of nationwide benchmarking CCs. RESULTS: Between 2011 and 2016, 2.382 primary cancerpatients, median age 66 years, were treated at the CC GKH. 70.1% of the patients showed either Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage 0, I, II or III and 25.6% were in UICC stage IV. IO therapies included surgery (64.4% of patients), radiation (41.2%), and application of cytostatic drugs (53.9%), add-on mistletoe therapy (30.5%), and non-pharmacological interventions (87.3%). Regarding psycho-oncological support and quota of patient's enrollment in studies the CC GKH performs above nationwide benchmarks. Research outcomes including safety issues, clinical impact as well as patient's health-related quality of life are continuously evaluated and integrated into hospital's decision-management. CONCLUSION: This analysis reveals that IO concepts are applied to a high proportion of male and female primary cancerpatients of all age groups, indicating a successful implementation at the certified CC GKH. Ongoing clinical evaluations have been initiated and cost-effectiveness comparisons are under analyses.
Authors: Anja Thronicke; Thomas Reinhold; Philipp von Trott; Harald Matthes; Friedemann Schad Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2020-03-12 Impact factor: 2.629
Authors: Harald Matthes; Anja Thronicke; Ralf-Dieter Hofheinz; Erik Baars; David Martin; Roman Huber; Thomas Breitkreuz; Gil Bar-Sela; Daniel Galun; Friedemann Schad Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med Date: 2020-02-18 Impact factor: 2.629