Multivitamins do not improve radiation therapy-related fatigue: results of a double-blind randomized crossover trial.
BACKGROUND
Fatigue is a common symptom in cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.


METHODS
We conducted a double-blind randomized crossover trial of multivitamins versus placebo in patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy to evaluate fatigue and quality of life.


RESULTS
: We randomized 40 patients to either placebo or Centrum Silver. At the middle of the radiation treatments, patients were switched from placebo to multivitamins and vice versa. Patients answered the EORTC QLQ C-30 quality of life (QOL) and Chalder fatigue questionnaires at the beginning, middle, and end of radiation therapy. Both groups experienced decreases in general (P = 0.009; P = 0.001) and physical fatigue scores (P = 0.031; P = 0.029) at the end of the course of placebo compared with the assessment prior to this treatment. We also observed significant improvements in functional (P = 0.026) and symptoms (P = 0.016) score scales of the QOL questionnaire in the patients on placebo. No significant changes were elicited with the use of multivitamins. We also observed significantly lower rates of fatigue in the patients who had just finished a course of placebo as compared with patients finishing a course of multivitamins (0 vs. 25% P = 0.035).


CONCLUSIONS
Multivitamins do not improve radiation-related fatigue in patients with breast cancer.
de Souza Fêde
Angelo Bezerra
AB
Faculdade de Medicina do ABC Foundation School of Medicine, ABC Foundation School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
Bensi
Carolina Games
CG
Trufelli
Damila Cristina
DC
de Oliveira Campos
Maíra Paschoin
MP
Pecoroni
Priscila Guedes
PG
Ranzatti
Rodrigo Perez
RP
Kaliks
Rafael
R
Del Giglio
Auro
A
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014815:Vitamins