A retrospective descriptive profile of cancer patients seeking homoeopathic care in a semi-rural South African setting

Background: Patient profiling renders valuable information about the population's healthcare-seeking behaviours, critical for effective patient management. Khula Natural Health Centre (KNHC) in South Africa provides healthcare to rural communities, within the scope of Homoeopathy. Objective: The study aimed to create a preliminary cancer patient profile of KNHC from April 2017 to August 2024. Method: This retrospective study adopted a descriptive, exploratory design. Anonymised patient data was extracted from the KNHC database. Data that met the inclusion criteria were descriptively analysed to summarise and describe the dataset. Results: Forty-six participants' data, presenting a range of cancers, consulted at KNHC for homoeopathic treatment. Of these, 37 were females (80.4%), and 9 were males (19.6%), aged between 32–81 years old (median age was 59 years IQR: 47–67), with 56.5% of patients returning for one or more follow-up consultations reporting some improvement in their symptoms. Gynaecological cancers (39.1%) were the most prevalent, followed by breast cancer (26.1%), gastrointestinal (10.9%), and dermatological (8.7%). Among the 26 patients who attended follow-up, 76.9% (95% CI: 58.0%–89.1%) reported improvement or slight improvement in their presenting symptoms. An individualised homoeopathic prescription in either 30C or 200C potency was most frequently prescribed. Conclusion: This retrospective descriptive study outlines the characteristics of patients who sought homoeopathic care in a semi-rural clinic setting in South Africa. Although the study does not evaluate treatment efficacy, the patterns observed highlight the potential role of individualised homoeopathic prescribing in cancer care. Further prospective, controlled studies are required to evaluate clinical outcomes and strengthen the evidence base.