Prescription Pattern of Chinese Herbal Products for Breast Cancer in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study
Table 1
Demographic characteristics and results of multiple logistic regression showing the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% CI (confidence interval) of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer from the 1-million random sample of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) from 1999 to 2008 in Taiwan.
Characteristics
TCMa nonusers
TCM users
aORb (95% CIc)
No. of cases
506
2,236
CHPd for breast cancer
—
503
Age at diagnosis (years)
≤29
8
26
0.63 (0.26–1.52)
30–39
51
283
1
40–49
165
771
0.84 (0.59–1.19)
50–59
146
617
0.78 (0.54–1.11)
60–69
75
356
0.86 (0.57–1.28)
70–79
40
146
0.75 (0.46–1.22)
≥80
21
37
0.35 (0.18–0.68)
Insured salaries (NT$e/month)
0+
120
416
1
1–19999
234
1178
1.24 (0.93–1.64)
20000–39999
96
432
1.02 (0.73–1.43)
>40000
56
210
0.96 (0.65–1.42)
Insured region
Taipei city
171
555
1
Kaohsiung city
34
148
1.33 (0.88–2.02)
Northern Taiwan
159
644
1.27 (0.98–1.63)
Middle Taiwan
49
380
2.66 (1.86–3.79)
Southern Taiwan
80
431
1.83 (1.33–2.52)
Eastern Taiwan
10
59
2.25 (0.98–5.14)
Cancer treatment modalities
No treatment
26
93
0.86 (0.49–1.51)
Surgery only
46
207
1
Chemotherapy only
7
29
0.98 (0.39–2.47)
Hormone therapy only
21
98
1.07 (0.60–1.91)
Surgery and chemotherapy
74
305
0.82 (0.54–1.25)
Surgery and hormone therapy
113
508
1.10 (0.74–1.63)
Surgery, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy
193
885
1.00 (0.69–1.44)
Others
26
111
0.99 (0.60–1.63)
aTCM refers to traditional Chinese medicine; bOR refers to odds ratio; cCI refers to confidence interval; dCHP refers to Chinese herbal products;e NT$ refers to new Taiwan dollars, of which 1 US$ = 30 NT$.
