Antioxidants have been shown to improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation while protecting the rest of the body tissue from damage, because cancer cells are primarily anaerobic (meaning “without oxygen”) cells. Since cancer is usually an oxygen-deprived tissue, the cancer cell has very poor mechanisms for absorbing proper amounts of antioxidants. The antixoidants thus help protect the healthy tissue from the damaging effects off chemotherapy and radiation.
In giving aggressive nutritional support with restrained cytotoxic therapies, the outcome will be better. The vitamins and nutrients which have proven helpful in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation are: Vitamin C, Fish oil, Vitamin A & beta-carotene Vitamin E, Niacin, Selenium, Carnitine and Quercetin.
It should be kept in mind that nutrition is not the sole therapy. While it is essential, it may not be sufficient. Common sense and numerous studies show that nutrition probably will help while at the same time it is inexpensive and has no adverse side effects.
Terry Pfau, DO, HMD