Improved survival in patients with end-stage cancer treated with coenzyme Q(10) and other antioxidants: a pilot study.
This pilot study evaluated the survival of patients with end-stage cancer who received supplements of coenzyme Q(10) and a mixture of other antioxidants (e.g. vitamin C, selenium, folic acid and beta-carotene). During a period of 9 years, 41 patients who had end-stage cancer were included. Forty patients were followed until death and one patient was lost to follow-up and presumed dead. Primary cancers were located in the breast, brain, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, oesophagus, stomach, colon, prostate, ovaries and skin. The median predicted survival time was calculated from Kaplan-Meier curves for each patient at inclusion. Median predicted survival was 12 months (range 3 - 29 months), whereas median actual survival was 17 months (1 - 120 months), which is > 40% longer than the median predicted survival. Mean actual survival was 28.8 months versus 11.9 months for mean predicted survival. Ten patients (24%) survived for less time than predicted, whereas 31 (76%) survived for longer. Treatments were very well tolerated with few adverse effects.
Arnakkegårds alle 50, Vipperoed, Denmark. nhj@dadlnet.dk
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D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019452:Terminally Ill; D013997:Time Factors; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10