What Do YouTube Comments on Alternative Cancer Treatment Videos Tell Us: A Phenomenological Analysis

Objectives This study aims to explore the perceived experiences and self-reported narratives of individuals identifying as cancer patients or caregivers regarding the use of complementary and alternative medicine in cancer care by analyzing comments on Turkish-language YouTube videos. Methods A qualitative approach using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method was employed. Data were retrieved from YouTube using MAXQDA-24 software between June and July 2025. The sample consisted of 1,724 primary comments from 13 purposively selected videos. Results The analysis revealed five main themes: Despair (56.96%), Anger (16.59%), Hope (14.96%), Need for Information (5.97%), and Spirituality (5.51%). Key findings indicate that commenters experience significant mistrust toward conventional systems, treatment anxiety, financial loss, and a profound need for spiritual and psychosocial support. Conclusions As the first qualitative study of its kind in the Turkish context, this research highlights that digital complementary and alternative medicine seeking is often a coping mechanism for emotional distress. Implications for Nursing Practice Nurses can use these insights to enhance trust-based communication, provide effective counseling on digital health literacy, and integrate psychosocial and spiritual support into routine cancer care.