Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomised controlled trials (CCTs) were eligible for inclusion. The duration of follow-up, where reported, ranged from 10 weeks to 1 year.
Specific interventions included in the review
Studies that compared single or combined homeopathic interventions, used either alone or as an adjuvant to conventional treatments, with any other intervention or no intervention were eligible for inclusion. The included studies used a variety of different homeopathic therapies: cobaltum 30, causticum 30, TraumeelS, Belladonna 7cH, X-ray 15cH, Hyland's menopause and an assortment of different remedies (details of all preparations used were reported). All but one of the included studies used a placebo control.
Participants included in the review
Studies of patients with cancer or a history of cancer were eligible for inclusion. The included studies were in children, teenagers and adults with a variety of types of cancer: patients undergoing radiation therapy who were at risk of radiation reaction; patients with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy who were at risk of radiodermatitis; patients with blood malignant cancer who underwent bone marrow transplant and were at risk of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis; and breast cancer survivors with menopausal or oestrogen withdrawal symptoms.
Outcomes assessed in the review
The main outcome in the review was symptom response. The secondary outcomes included tumour response and quality of life. The included studies assessed a variety of outcomes: degree of radiation reaction, opiate requirement for pain, duration of symptoms, quality of life, skin heat, hyperpigmentation, erythema, oedema, total severity of symptoms, stomatitis, time to worsening of symptoms, oral pain, severity and frequency of hot flushes, and Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP) activity score and overall profile score. The review also assessed adverse effects.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors did not state how the studies were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.