Lee Swanson Research Update

Antioxidant Supplements May Benefit Chemotherapy Patients

June 2007

Antioxidant supplements may be a powerful source of support for people undergoing chemotherapy treatments, according to a review of scientific literature. In fact, antioxidant supplementation may help increase cancer survival rates, tumor response and the patient's ability to tolerate chemotherapy.

Published in Cancer Treatment Reviews, the review took a look at past studies that had evaluated the use of antioxidant supplements by patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Scientists noted: "Many of the studies indicated that antioxidant supplementation resulted in either increased survival times, increased tumor responses, or both, as well as fewer toxicities than controls."

Antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C and E and carotenoids like beta-carotene, are believed to exert a protective effect on cells. They scavenge toxic molecules called free radicals, which cause oxidative stress that can lead to DNA cell damage.

The scientists searched databases and identified 19 trials (1,554 participants) that met all evaluation criteria, including the use of randomized trials with a control group, and the reporting of treatment response (tumor shrinkage) and survival data.

Authors of the review noted that survival data showed similar or better survival rates for the antioxidant group than the control group. Additionally, 15 of 17 trials that assessed chemotherapy toxicities, including diarrhea, weight-loss, nerve damage and low blood counts, concluded that the antioxidant group suffered similar or lower rates of these side-effects than the control group.

The authors said that reducing side-effects may help patients avoid having to cut back on their chemotherapy dosing, interrupting scheduled treatments or abandoning treatment altogether. This in turn is likely to favorably impact treatment outcomes.

Cancer Treatment Reviews (Published online ahead of print)

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