| Cancer is always a sensitive topic and there are | | | | that taking these vitamins is very safe. |
| not many of us who haven’t known of a | | | | The study took place in Denmark between 1990 - |
| relative or friend who has struggled with this | | | | 1999 and included people suffering from a range |
| disease. For those who have a poor prognosis | | | | of cancers, who all continued with conventional |
| every extra day they have to spend with their | | | | cancer treatment. The patients took coenzyme |
| family is precious and this has prompted me to | | | | Q10 and six antioxidants including: vitamins A, C |
| tell you about a report just published in the Journal | | | | and E, folic acid, selenium and beta carotene. For |
| of International Medical Research. | | | | safety reasons, lung cancer patients were not |
| As of February 2010, researchers are claiming | | | | given beta carotene. The doses were large, but |
| that terminal cancer patients could live an extra | | | | did not exceed recommended safety limits. In |
| two years or more, if they take a daily dose of | | | | addition, the patients took small doses of B |
| five vitamins. In a pilot study, 75% of cancer | | | | vitamins and fish oil. |
| patients survived up to five months more than | | | | I need to point out that not every cancer |
| the expected one year and some patients were | | | | specialist agrees with these results. Dr. Joanna |
| still living up to three years after starting the | | | | Owens of Cancer Research U.K. said that the |
| treatment. The study was carried out by British | | | | study was too small to provide any new |
| and Danish researchers and co-author, Dr. Bob | | | | information about the effects of supplements on |
| Lister, believes that the survival gain is similar to | | | | cancer. She also said that we don’t yet |
| having a new drug. Furthermore, there are no | | | | have sufficient evidence to know if supplements |
| side-effects for cancer patients taking the vitamin | | | | are helpful or harmful when taken during cancer |
| cocktail. | | | | treatment. Her advice is to rely on a varied and |
| Dr. Lister, of the Institute of Brain Chemistry and | | | | balanced diet to provide the vitamins our bodies |
| Human Nutrition has said that the results are | | | | need. |
| significant and called for financial backing to pay | | | | Let’s all hope that they do more investigation |
| for a proper clinical trial. He commented that | | | | and soon find some clinical proof that this natural |
| cancer patients often ask what they can do | | | | method can give cancer patients a little more |
| themselves to improve their quality of life and | | | | time. |