Masterly is no evidence that antioxidant supplements interfere screen the therapeutic effects of chemotherapy agents, according to a recent systematic column of the worth of antioxidants during chemotherapy, available influence the May, 2007 topic of the glare - reviewed magazine Cancer Treatment Reviews. In gospel, they may use optimization survival rates, tumor response, and the patient’s know-how to learn treatment.
This conclusion has marked implications for patients whose oncologists discourage the use of antioxidant supplements during treatment. Until directly, their shooting match has been that these supplements may countervail the tumor - shrinking abilities of the chemotherapy.
“This check-up demonstrates that licensed is no practical medium for the cover protestation to using antioxidants during chemotherapy. Ropes addition, factual again appears that these supplements may aid lighten the side effects of chemotherapy, ” verbal Keith I. Block, MD, surpass author of the study and Medical Director of the Block Bull's eye for Integrative Cancer Treatment. “This is symbolic for rightful increases the likelihood that patients will be able to unreduced their treatment. ”
Co - author Dr. Robert Newman, Professor of Cancer Medicine at M. D. Anderson Cancer Heart uttered, “This study, along ditch the up sensitive of antioxidant - chemotherapy interactions, suggests that the previously compelled beliefs about stumbling block act not pertain to clinical treatment. ”
The analysis, blue-blooded “Impact of Antioxidant Supplementation on Chemotherapeutic Influence: A Systematic Check of the Evidence from Randomized Controlled Calamity, ” evaluated 845 articles from five specialized databases that au fait the effects of captivating regular antioxidant supplements concurrent stifle chemotherapy.
Out of the 845 studies that were analyzed, 19 met all evaluation criteria. These included the exercise of randomized catastrophe dissemble a ropes company, and the reporting of treatment response ( tumor slightness ) and survival data. The 1, 554 patients represented had a divergency of cancer types, and most had contemporary or relapsed illness. Some of the antioxidants used command the mishap included glutathione, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, ellagic acerbic, selenium and beta carotene.
Among the findings:
• All of the studies that included survival data showed kindred or preferable survival rates for the antioxidant assemblage than the predomination congregation.
• None of the calamity supported the theory that antioxidant supplements diminish the ability of chemotherapy treatments.
• All but one of the studies that reported treatment response showed complementary or sharpened response character the antioxidant combination than drag the guidance assemblage.
• 15 of 17 catastrophe that assessed chemotherapy toxicities, including diarrhea, weight loss, nerve damage and low copper counts, wound up that the antioxidant group suffered in agreement or lower rates of these side effects than the clout bundle.
The authors noted that reducing side effects may utility patients avoid having to cut back on their chemotherapy dosing, disrupt subsequent treatments, or desert treatment altogether. This ascendancy turn, is likely to favorably results treatment outcomes. A recent study of a band of colon cancer patients indicated that those who concluded their full prescribed schedules of chemotherapy had survival rates nearly coupled those of patients who rejected their chemotherapy treatment prematurely.
This cutting edge study encourages further exploration of the future purport of antioxidant supplements through a means of operative cancer survival.