Table 2. Frequencies of use since diagnosis for specific herbal medicines, and use by cancer type.
|
Number of users by cancer type (%)a
|
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herbal medicine (Latin name) | Number of users (%) | Oral and respiratory | Digestive organs | Thyroid and lymphoid | Female genital | Male genital | Breast | Other cancers |
| Agnus castus (Vitex agnus castus) | 4 (1.8) | — | — | — | — | — | 4 (100.0) | — |
| Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) | 8 (3.6) | — | 1 (12.5) | — | 3 (38.0) | — | 4 (50.0) | — |
| Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) | 4 (1.8) | — | — | — | — | 1 (25.0) | 3 (75.0) | — |
| Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) | 2 (0.9) | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (100.0) | — |
| Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) | 48 (21.5) | — | 3 (6.3) | 2 (4.2) | 9 (18.8) | 5 (10.4) | 29 (54.2) | — |
| Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) | 61 (27.4) | 1 (1.6) | 6 (9.8) | 2 (3.3) | 6 (9.8) | — | 45 (73.8) | 1 (1.6) |
| Garlic (Allium sativum) | 43 (19.3) | — | 6 (14.0) | 3 (7.0) | 5 (11.6) | 8 (18.6) | 21 (48.8) | — |
| Ginger (Zingiber officinale) | 19 (8.5) | — | 3 (15.8) | 1 (5.3) | 5 (26.3) | 2 (10.5) | 8 (42.1) | — |
| Gingko biloba | 17 (7.6) | — | 3 (17.6) | — | 3 (17.6) | 3 (17.6) | 8 (47.1) | — |
| Ginseng (Panax ginseng) | 14 (6.3) | — | 1 (7.1) | — | 2 (14.3) | 3 (21.4) | 8 (57.1) | — |
| Ivy (Hedera helix) | 0 (0.0) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) | 16 (7.2) | — | 3 (18.8) | 1 (6.3) | 3 (18.8) | 1 (6.3) | 8 (50.0) | — |
| Mistletoe (Viscum album) | 6 (2.7) | — | 3 (50.0) | — | 1 (16.7) | — | 2 (33.3) | — |
| Red clover (Trifolium pratense) | 5 (2.2) | — | 1 (20.0) | — | 1 (20.0) | 1 (20.0) | 2 (40.0) | — |
| Red vine leaf (Vitis vinifera) | 2 (0.9) | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (100.0) | — |
| Saw palmetto (Serenoa serrulata) | 3 (1.3) | — | — | — | — | 3 (100.0) | — | — |
| St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) | 6 (2.7) | — | 2 (33.3) | — | 1 (16.7) | — | 2 (33.3) | 1 (16.7) |
| Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) | 12 (5.4) | — | 1 (8.3) | — | 2 (16.7) | 2 (16.7) | 6 (50.0) | 1 (8.3) |
| Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) | 2 (0.9) | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (100.0) | — |
| Willow (Salix alba) | 2 (0.9) | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (100.0) | — |
| Any herbal medicine | 274 | 1 (0.4) | 33 (12.0) | 9 (3.3) | 41 (15.0) | 29 (10.6) | 158 (57.7) | 3 (1.1) |
a
Percentages refer to the proportion of users of each herb from within each cancer type.