Nutraceutical use in late-stage cancer.
Access to a wealth of information on the internet has led many cancer patients to use complementary methods as an adjunct to traditional therapy for cancer, with, and more often, without informing their primary caregiver. Of the common complementary modalities, the use of dietary supplements appears to be highly prevalent in patients in active treatment for cancer, and later in cancer survivors. Emerging research suggests that some plant-based agents may, indeed, impact late-stage cancer, influencing molecular processes corrupted by tumor cells to evade detection, expand clonally, and invade surrounding tissues. The intent of this article is to review some of the current science underpinning the use of nutraceuticals in the latter stages of cancer.
Wargovich
Michael J
MJ
Department of Cell & Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29245, USA. wargovic@musc.edu
Morris
Jay
J
Brown
Vondina
V
Ellis
Jane
J
Logothetis
Britt
B
Weber
Rebecca
R
D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*