Cross-sectional studyindependent cross-checkabstract checked I-CHM-126 standard review
Traditional medicine use by children with cancer in Southern Egypt
Family strategies for managing childhood cancer: Using traditional and complementary medicine in Southern Egypt.
Overview
Farrag A et al.. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024 · PMID 39289855 · DOI 10.1002/pbc.31326
60% of families used traditional or complementary remedies; some used them instead of treatment and some came late.
Does the study support the specific claim? Unclear · Methodological quality: low
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Describe traditional medicine use
- How was the study done?
Interview survey
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
86 children
- What was actually found?
Common use; some delays
- How large was the observed effect?
60.5% use; 11.5% of users delayed
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Doctors should ask families about remedies
- What are the study's limitations?
Small, no outcomes
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Shows the risk is real in Egypt
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Cannot show the effect on survival
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Farrag A et al.
- Journal
- Pediatr Blood Cancer
- Year
- 2024
- Identifier
- PMID 39289855 DOI 10.1002/pbc.31326
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26 (PublicationType and CommentsCorrections checked); Crossref 2026-10-26
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
Non-US-government support; COI not stated in abstract.
2. Research question
How common is traditional and complementary medicine use among children with cancer in Southern Egypt, and does it delay care?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Cross-sectional study – Cross-sectional interview survey
- Population
Children with cancer and caregivers at the South Egypt Cancer Institute
- Country
Egypt
- Period
Not stated in abstract
- Sample size
86
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Eligible children and caregivers (response rate 86%)
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Traditional and complementary medicine use
- Comparator
Non-users
- Endpoints
Prevalence, types, reasons, disclosure, delays
- Statistical methods
Descriptive statistics; chi-square
5. Actual results
- Results
T&CM use 52/86 (60.5%); 6 users (11.5%) had delayed presentation; used as complement by 71% and as alternative by 29%; herbal 63%, nutritional 33%, witchcraft 29%, religious 19%; 98% said providers did not ask about T&CM; more common in wealthier families (p=.023).
- Absolute risks
11.5% of users had delayed presentation
- Authors' conclusion
T&CM use is common; providers should discuss it early with families.
6. Strengths
- Egyptian data
- Interviewer-administered
7. Weaknesses
- Small single-centre sample
- No outcome data
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- high
- Rationale
Small cross-sectional survey; descriptive only.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Percentages from counts.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Regional context: alternative and nutritional approaches are widely used by Egyptian families of children with cancer, sometimes as alternatives and with delays. It shows the practical relevance of the safety note; it does not measure survival.
11. Independent contrary findings
None.
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
Egypt-specific.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Context only.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | low |
| Risk of bias | high |
| Precision of results | low |
| Directness | indirect |
| Reproducibility | unknown |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | unknown |
| Regional transferability | high |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
Outcomes of alternative-only use in Egypt.