Introduction

Abstract

The increased collaboration of international research networks has been credited with pushing overall survival for all pediatric cancers beyond 80 % (Pui et al. 2011). This success has shifted the focus of therapeutic gains from survival to parameters such as quality of life during cancer therapy and long-term effects in pediatric cancer survivors. Acute toxicities and long-term sequelae may affect the quality of life of cancer survivors for decades. Especially long-term effects can frequently only be addressed symptomatically (Oeffinger et al. 2006). Cancer patients and their families often reach for complementary treatment approaches out of concern for acute and chronic side effects of cancer therapy, pain relief, and occasionally the unfavorable prognosis of the disease, even though little data about the effectiveness of these interventions may be available (Längler et al. 2008). Children and their parents may also feel that they have little control over their conventional cancer treatment and outcome.