A considerable number of patients with brain tumors use alternative therapies, such as homeopathy, alongside their conventional treatments, researchers from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany reveal in the medical journal Neurology. The researchers discovered that approximately 40% of patients with incurable grade II to IV gliomas were found to use alternative therapies.

The most common therapies included psychological therapy, homeopathy and vitamin supplements, the authors wrote.Heese and team carried out a study involving 621 individuals with incurable grade II to IV gliomas. They were given a questionnaire in which they were asked to reveal details regarding their use of alternative therapies. An alternative therapy, in this study, meant any "methods or compounds not used in routine clinical practice and not scientifically evaluated.

Older individuals, as well as males and patients with less education were less likely to use alternative treatments, compared to younger individuals, females and those with more education.