Use of Antioxidants During Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy Should Be Avoided

Many patients being treated for cancer use dietary supplements, particularly antioxidants, in the hope of reducing the toxicity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Some researchers have claimed, furthermore, that antioxidants also increase the effectiveness of cytotoxic therapy and have explicitly rec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCA: a cancer journal for clinicians Vol. 55; no. 5; pp. 319 - 321
Main Author D'Andrea, Gabriella M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bristol Am Cancer Soc 01.09.2005
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects
Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage
Antioxidants
Antioxidants - adverse effects
Cancer
Chemotherapy
Combined Modality Therapy
Contraindications
Dietary Supplements
Humans
Neoplasms - mortality
Neoplasms - therapy
Radiology
Radiotherapy
Survival Rate
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Summary:Many patients being treated for cancer use dietary supplements, particularly antioxidants, in the hope of reducing the toxicity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Some researchers have claimed, furthermore, that antioxidants also increase the effectiveness of cytotoxic therapy and have explicitly recommended their use. However, mechanistic considerations suggest that antioxidants might reduce the effects of conventional cytotoxic therapies. Preclinical data are currently inconclusive and a limited number of clinical studies have not found any benefit. Clinicians should advise their patients against the use of antioxidant dietary supplements during chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Such caution should be seen as the standard approach for any unproven agent that may be harmful.
Bibliography:This article is available online at
http://CAonline.AmCancerSoc.org
ISSN:0007-9235
1542-4863
DOI:10.3322/canjclin.55.5.319