Hello everyone. I have a question as it relates to vitamins during treatment. I am doing alot of reading and research to help my husband Doug during treatment for stage IV base of tongue cancer with extensive neck mets. One of the books endorsed by cancer treatment centers of America recommends vitamin C, omega 3 supplements etc. during chemo and radiation as does other websites. However, I am now reading literature which contends just the opposite that although vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, that cancer cells absorb vitamin C in large quantities making them resistant to treatment with chemo and radiation. Any survivors used vitamin supplements during treatment? To use or not to use, that is the question. Thanks for any information.
Sincerely,
Virginia

We were told by our oncologist to stop all vitamin usage during treatment. He said that it helps not only the good cells to restore themselves faster but it also allows the cancer cells to do the same. He was very adamant that Harry take NO vitamins during treatment.

Your doctor might say different. You should check with the doctor to be sure.

Hope this helps.

Cindy

I got the same advice from my medical oncologist. During chemo and radiation you want to maximize the difference in healing between good cells and cancer cells. Antioxidants slow down tumor development but that actually measn the cancer cells are less likely to die from radiation or cehmo also.

Once those treatment are over, though, it seems ot me it makes really good sense to take as many antioxidants as have shown ANY promise of preventing cancer.

Thank you for the info. Doug's oncologist never mentioned vitamins at all. He has been taking them for a week during his treatment. I'll have him stop immediately. Hopefully it hasn't done any harm. He looks great after a week of treatment as far as his neck swelling going down and the lesion on his tongue resolving. Thank you very much.
Sincerly,
Virginia

Forget CTCA, they are all over Quackwatch:
See: http://www.quackwatch.org/02ConsumerProtection/FTCActions/ctca.html

Vitamin C: http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Cancer/c.html

There is an entire industry of quacks, charlatans, snake oil salesmen and just plain evil people out there preying on cancer patients - and that includes some institutions as well.

Hi Virginia,
I too was told to not take any vitmains or other antioxidents during radiation.

Two months after my rad ended, I was put on 220mg Zinc Sulfate, 500 mg Vit C twice a day, and 400IU Vit E twice a day, + a multivitimain once day. I added a vit B50 to mixture because I had brittle nails. This regimin was to promote healing, not to prevent a reoccurrence. I've stayed on it ever since. I've been pretty healthy ever since and do not seem to come down wih colds, or whatever else may be going around. Check with your dr before taking any of this.

Take care,
Eileen

NO Vitamin E! Please refer to Sheldons post on April 06, 2005 03:59 AM, in adjunctive therapy.