Oncology Medical News about antioxidant supplement use;breast cancer treatment

Your Article Summary

(Click the title below to leave the MDLinx Network and go to the Journal's Website)

Prevalence and predictors of antioxidant supplement use during breast cancer treatment
Cancer, 06/11/09

Greenlee H et al. - In a study to analyze the prevalence of and factors associated with antioxidant supplement use during breast cancer (BC) treatment, it was found that given the common use of antioxidant supplements during BC treatment, often at high doses and in conjunction with other complementary therapies, future research should address effects of antioxidant supplementation on BC outcomes.

Methods

From 2002 through 2004, women with BC who had participated a case-control study from 1996 to 1997 were invited to participate in a follow-up interview.
Antioxidant supplement use was defined as any self-reported intake of supplemental vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene, or selenium in individual supplements or multivitamins.

Results

Follow-up interview participants were younger, more predominantly white, and of higher socioeconomic status than women who did not respond.
Among 764 participants who completed the follow-up interview, 663 (86.8%) reported receiving adjuvant treatment for their BC.
Of the 663 women, 401 (60.5%) reported using antioxidants during adjuvant treatment: 120 of 310 women (38.7%) used antioxidants during chemotherapy, 196 of 464 (42.2%) used them during radiation, and 286 of 462 (61.9%) used them during tamoxifen therapy.
Of 401 antioxidant users, 278 women (69.3%) used high doses.
Factors that were associated with high antioxidant supplement use during treatment were higher fruit and vegetable intake at diagnosis, tamoxifen use, ever using herbal products, and ever engaging in mind-body practices.

<< Previous
A cost-utility analysis of nursing intervention via...

Next >>
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia...