Role of Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation and Aspirin Use in Cancer Survivors.
J Clin Oncol. 2010 Aug 9.
Giovannucci E, Chan AT.
Harvard School of Public Health; Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
Multivitamins and multiminerals are widely used in the United States, but their efficacy and, perhaps more importantly, the potential for harm in individuals who have cancer have received relatively little study. Beyond their general effects on health, the use of vitamins and minerals by patients with cancer has unique implications because of their potential direct effects on existing cancers, effects on factors that may influence carcinogenesis, such as immunity, and interactions with treatment. Some evidence suggests that vitamin D at higher than standard doses may improve cancer-specific and overall survival for several cancer sites.
Besides vitamin D, there is little evidence that nutritional supplements lower the risk of recurrence or improve survival from cancer, although some benefits may be possible in specific subgroups. Some data suggest that higher than standard doses of some vitamins or minerals could even enhance carcinogenesis or worsen survival in patients with cancer.
For example, evidence suggests that although folate supplementation administered in preneoplastic stages may lower the risk of colorectal cancer, excessive folic acid in patients with established cancer may be harmful.
For prostate cancer, some preliminary evidence indicates that excess consumption of one or a combination of components in a multivitamin/multimineral may accelerate cancer progression and increase fatality.
Use of aspirin is proven to lower risk of colorectal cancer, and recent evidence suggests that aspirin use in patients with colorectal cancer improves cancer-specific and overall survival, especially in patients with tumors that express cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The potential beneficial or adverse effects of dietary supplements and aspirin in survivors of cancer warrant further study. PMID: 20697066
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Update Nov 2010: Chemotherapy survivors are still at huge risk of dying of other cancer decades after
As reported inNatural News
Study in JAMA looked at almost 18,000 youthful survivors of Cancer
Their net death rate was 11X, and death rate after 45 years was still 7X.
77 percent of deaths were due either a new cancer, heart disease, or cerebrovascular disease.
"excess mortality may be related to long-term complications of treatment" with radiation or chemotherapy drugs.
Original reporting wasReuters July 2010
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While 80% of all cancers can be avoided by having enough vitamin D,
taking vitamin D immediately after the diagnosis and for years later appears to be a great tactic to stay healthy and alive
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Which are part of VitaminDWiki Category Cancer - After