Aims and Background: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of and factors related to the use of complementary/alternative medicine among cancer patients undergoing or following conventional treatment at the Erciyes University Oncology Hospital in Central Anatolia. Study Design and Patients: Face-to-face interview and a questionnaire were carried out with cancer patients attending the outpatient clinic of Medical Oncology. Questionnaire items included patients’ demographic data, treatment, use of complementary/alternative medicine and possible related factors. Multivariate analysis was performed to compare the factors related to use of complementary/alternative medicine. Results: A total of 268 consecutive cancer patients were enrolled in the study. Overall, 43% of the patients were using or had used complementary/alternative medicine. Totally, 90% of the patients using complementary/alternative medicine utilized herbs, and most of the herbs used were stinging nettle. Nearly half of the patients using complementary/alternative medicine (46.1%) were aiming to fight the disease. Among users, nearly half of them regarded the method used as effective and 54 (50.5%) suggested the use of complementary/alternative medicine to other patients. Only 23.1% of the patients discussed the use of complementary/alternative medicine with their physician. In logistic regression analysis, younger age, higher educational status, advanced stage of the disease, longer duration of the disease and current treatment status were significantly associated with the use of complementary/alternative medicine. In our regression model, the predictivity rate of these variables was 72.2% for use of complementary/alternative medicine according to the backward Wald test. Conclusions: Use of complementary/alternative medicine among cancer patients in our center is modestly high, and the most common method is herbal therapy. Communication between the patient and the physician shouldbe improvedon this subject.

Carcinogenesis and tumor cell biology are very complex subjects. Recent findings on cancer stem cells may have a great impact on the understanding of the biology of malignancies and the development of future treatment approaches. Cancer stem cells are defined by their potential to self-renew and differentiate. Identification of cancer stem cells is possible by detecting expression of a certain combination of various cell surface markers and also by functional assays. The cancer stem cell concept was originally developed for hematological malignancies but is now becoming accepted for solid tumors as well. Emerging data indicates that cancer stem cells are responsible for the growth and spread of tumors. There is still a long way to go in characterizing cancer stem cells and understanding their role in carcinogenesis. Further studies should lead to a greater understanding of the biology of these cells with significant implications for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer. The recent studies regarding stem cell origin of various solid tumors will be discussed briefly in this review.

The association between malignancy and venous thromboembolic disease has been recognized for over a century and a half. During this time, a substantial body of literature has developed showing that malignancy is not only a hypercoagulable state characterized by an increased risk of thrombosis but also that components of blood coagulation reactions are capable of supporting tumor growth and dissemination. In recent years a succession of meticulously performed clinical trials has clarified optimal therapy intended to both prevent and treat thromboembolism that occurs in the setting of cancer. However, much remains to be accomplished in terms of practitioner education on the merits of optimal therapy. Of perhaps greater interest is the possibility that drugs capable of controlling cancer-associated hypercoagulability may provide a means for improving cancer survival while avoiding the toxicities characteristic of conventional anti-tumor therapy. Clearly, ample incentive exists for collaboration between basic and clinical scientists interested in improving the management of malignancy and its thromboembolic complications.