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Research Project on exceptional case histories
NAFKAM is currently conducting a study on exceptional case histories. The focus of the study is on the effect of complementary and alternative medicine on disease progressions.
What is an "exceptional case history”?
A clinical course of serious disease that is very different from what was expected based upon medical examinations: The clinical course of the disease could either be exceptionally good, and presented as a “best case”, or it could be exceptionally unfortunate, and presented as a “worst case”.
A ”best case” could be full- or long-term recovery of cancer or other serious disease with a poor prognosis after treatment with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
A ”worst case” could be when the use of CAM gives serious side effects or contributes to delayed conventional medical treatment, with serious consequences for the course of the disease.
Why collect exceptional case histories?
Is it possible that factors relating to the patient, the treatment or the medical practitioner can explain why some courses of disease seem to take an exceptionally good or an exceptionally unfortunate turn? We will explore these possible explanations by collecting information from several sources, and by doing in-depth interviews with patients and medical practitioners. The information will be examined and evaluated by an independent panel of scientists. Our goal is to:
• Seek out therapies to be the focus for further research
• Help patients to choose treatment based on correct information
Who do we wish to get in contact with?
• Patients who have an exceptional case history
• The relatives of patients who have an exceptional case history
• CAM practitioners who have witnessed exceptional case histories in their practices
• Conventional medical doctors or others within the established health-care system who have met patients with exceptional case histories
Procedure for registering exceptional case histories
1) The medical practitioner, the patient or the relative contacts NAFKAM in writing concerning “best case” and “worst case” histories: We need the following information:
• Full name and date of birth
• Diagnoses and year of diagnoses
• CAM and conventional medicine treatment schedule
• The effect and side effects of the treatment
• Self-evaluation of what has had the most impact on the course of the disease
• The patient’s consent if the medical practitioner or family contacts NAFKAM
2) All communication with NAFKAM is strictly confidential. Selected medical histories will be closely examined. We will contact the patient or the relatives to get permission to collect additional information.
3) The medical practitioner or the patient will collect additional data and send it to NAFKAM. The documentation will include:
• The patient’s medical history
• All treatment given to the patient within the public health services and from CAM practitioner
• Results of pathology reports and medical imaging etc. (X-rays, CT, MRI, ultrasound).
4) NAFKAM will assess the need for additional pathology samples and necessary image material for a second opinion by a pathologist and radiologist who are affiliated with the project.
5) A selection of the medical histories will routinely be evaluated by independent research panel consisting of CAM- and conventional medicine experts.
Information about the research project:
Résumé of the Research Protocol
Brochure in English
Protokollsammendrag (Norwegian)
Brosjyre om Eksepsjonelle Sykdomsforløp (Norwegian)
(You need AcrobatReader to read the brochure).
You can also contact us to have the brochure mailed to you.
Information on the National Cancer Institute’s Best Case Series.
Contact Information:
Contact Sameline Grimsgaard or Anita Salamonsen for questions about the research project. We are bound to professional secrecy and all inquiries will be treated confidentially.
Postal Address for NAFKAM:
NAFKAM, the University of Tromsø,
9037 TROMSØ
Telephone: (int+47) 77 64 66 50
Web-Address:http://kam.uit.no
E-mail: nafkam@fagmed.uit.no
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