Table 2.

Reasons of use

Themes	Reasons for use by people with cancer	Frequency n (%)	Approved indications	Examples
Limiting the impacts of cancer and its side effects	Managing refractory nausea and vomiting	130/163 (79.8%)	√	•Reduce the frequency and severity of nausea •Treat anticipatory nausea and vomiting •Use with highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy •Manage nausea associated with radiotherapy •Limit delayed emesis
	Complementary use to assist in pain management	120/163 (73.6%)	√	•Relieve cancer-associated pain •Treat neuropathic pain •Adjuvant for cancer pain not completely relieved by opioid therapy •Use when refractory to opioids and conventional pain management techniques •Enhance the anti-nociceptive effect of morphine
	Improving appetite and food intake	88/163 (54%)	√	•Increase food enjoyment •Weight gain/stabilization •Limit anorexia and cachexia syndrome •Improve taste and smell
	Helping to manage emotions	59/163 (36.2%)		•Reduce stress •Improve mood •Treat anxiety •Use to cope emotionally •Allow relief of psychological symptoms
	Promoting sleep and reducing insomnia	56/163 (34.4%)		•Improve sleep quality •Facilitate sleep •Reinforce sleep habit •Reduce sleep disruptions
	Easily perform activities of daily living and domestic activities	23/163 (14.1%)		•Boost energy and reduce fatigue •Facilitate daytime activities •Improve concentration and memory •Increase activity tolerance
	Alleviating musculoskeletal symptoms	10/163 (6.1%)		•Combat muscle tension •Reduce spasticity •Treat arthritis •Decrease spasm and tremors •Control trismus
	Managing respiratory symptoms	3/163 (1.8%)		•Reduce dyspnea, shortness of breath and coughs
Staying connected to others	Recreational use	11/163 (6.7%)		•Enjoyment
	Improving sexual function and libido	5/163 (3.1%)		•Increase frequency of sexual intercourses
	Stimulating social interactions	3/163 (1.8%)		•Enhance social interactions •Feel part of a group