Dietary Supplement Gives New Hope to Cancer Survivors

New research indicates that dietary supplement use is high, often with hopes that it will prevent cancer recurrence.

Many individuals living with and beyond cancer use dietary supplements, often with the belief that the products will reduce the risk of cancer recurrence, according to new research published in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

Relevant clinical trials have generally failed to show a benefit and in some cases have demonstrated harm associated with the dietary supplements for cancer survivors.

About Cancer in Women
Cancer is one of the frequently talked about and most feared disease that falls under the genre of lifestyle diseases that have evolved, rather rapidly, in the past two decades.

‘Health care professionals should provide advice and clarity to patients about the appropriate use of dietary supplements to cancer survivors.’

To explore factors associated with dietary supplement use in cancer survivors, researchers studied 1,049 adults who had been diagnosed with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer in the United Kingdom.

Participants completed a mailed survey and telephone or online dietary analyses that included questions on dietary supplements.

The major findings of the study were 40% of participants took dietary supplements and 19% of participants believed that dietary supplements could reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.

Dietary Supplements - Dieticians Recommend and Use It Too: Survey
Health professionals recommend dietary supplements to patients but do they take it themselves? If so, which ones?

Women participants meeting five-a-day fruit and vegetable recommendations, and those believing that dietary supplements were important for reducing the risk of cancer recurrence were more likely to use dietary supplements.

Participants with obesity were less likely to use dietary supplements.

Dietary Supplement Curbs Hyperexcitability in Epilepsy
Inducing a biochemical alteration in brain proteins via dietary supplement glucosamine rapidly dampens the pathological hyperexcitability in the brain.

Fish oils were the most commonly used dietary supplements, taken by 13% of participants, and 15% of participants use supplements with calcium with or without vitamin D.

As the number of people living with or beyond cancer increases, there is a growing need for a more holistic approach to long-term health care. Information about the role of supplements and the lack of evidence that they reduce cancer recurrence would be beneficial, alongside discussions about the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity.

Test Your Knowledge on Liver Cancer
Primary hepatocellular carcinoma is a cancer that starts in the liver. The liver is the largest organ in the body situated in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen. The liver is also a common site for cancer deposits (metastases) from other organs. This is referred to as secondary liver cancer and is more common than primary liver cancer.

This study findings highlight the importance of speaking to health care professionals when making decisions about cancer treatment and recovery.

It is also important that any cancer patient who is considering taking supplements discusses it with their doctor, specialist nurse, or dietitian. Additional studies are needed to assess dietary supplement use in cancer survivors living in other regions.

Source-Medindia