01.06.10
New research findings show promise in assessing the efficacy and safety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) using traditional research methods, according to Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Susan Sencer, MD, medical director, Hematology/Oncology, presented findings on the use of the homeopathic agent Traumeel S in children with mucositis undergoing stem cell transplantation (SCT). Investigated by the Children’s Oncology Group, the multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial may be the first large-scale pediatric oncology trial of a CAM treatment, according to researchers. Mucositis is a painful side effect of many cancer treatment regimens that can cause intense pain, infection and the inability to eat, drink or swallow. There are few known treatments for the condition. The 190 eligible patients in the trial received either Traumeel S or a placebo five times daily as a swish and swallow rinse for the treatment. While results showed Traumeel S to be ineffective at preventing and treating mucositis in SCT patients, they also suggest the potential for CAM therapies to be evaluated using the same methodology as other medical treatments, according to Dr. Sencer. “We know complementary treatments can be very helpful for pediatric patients, but there is limited research to support our clinical observations,” said Dr. Sencer. “While we found this treatment to be ineffective for mucositis, I’m excited about the potential this trial has for the future of complementary and alternative medicine research.”