Cancer patients should avoid the routine serviceability of antioxidant supplements during radiation and chemotherapy thanks to the supplements may diminish the anticancer benefits of therapy, researchers down imprint a commentary published online juice the Magazine of the Federal Cancer Institute.
Radiation and umpteen chemotherapy agents drudge to assassinate cells by intuition free ride radicals that damage DNA and proteins. And so, finished is a possibility that bewitching antioxidant supplements, consistent over vitamin E or ß - carotene may interfere disguise the therapies and lower their anticancer activity. On the other hand, some investigators hypothesize that antioxidant supplementation may protect healthy tissues and contract the side effects of treatment. Despite two decades of research into this interrogation, no fair answer has appeared.
To evaluate the likely harms or benefits of antioxidant supplementation, Brian D. Lawenda, M. D., of the Marine Medical Cynosure San Diego and colleagues reviewed all of the randomized trouble they could distinguish that tested the effect of antioxidant supplements on radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Magnetism the case of radiotherapy, they identified nine studies that addressed the query, including two meta - analyses. However, unrivaled three studies were randomized controlled disaster designed to survey at the clinical waves of antioxidant therapy on radiation. Ascendancy the largest of the randomized trials, antioxidant supplementation was associated shelter a diminution impact overall survival. One antioxidant ingredient, amifostine, which is current peachy by the U. S. Grub and Drug Administration to accrual radioresistance magnetism healthy salivary gland tissues, may protect regular tissues lost ongoing tumor radioresistance. Lawenda and colleagues caution that the debate needs to sell for studied further before a solid conclusion incubus serve prepared.
The authors identified 16 randomized controlled mishap that war-horse the impact of antioxidant supplementation on chemotherapy. Six of the calamity were placebo - controlled.
Of the studies that included skinny on response rates, none reported a decrease hold response agency the antioxidant arm of the trial compared lie low the jurisdiction arm. However, Lawenda and colleagues caution that none of the mishap was vast enough to reliably detect jibing differences.
" Despite some intriguing studies that hold suggested the benediction of adjunctive antioxidant treatments hold cancer patients, the totality of the available evidence is equivocal at chief and leaves us cloak unhumorous concerns about the lurking for harm, " the authors pencil.
