title: Antioxidant Supplementation on Cancer Risk and Concurrent Use of Antioxidants during Cancer Therapy: An Update.
abstract: Some chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which diminish the cellular antioxidant capacity, and a ROS level beyond a threshold leads to apoptosis and cancer cell death. Cancer patients take antioxidant supplements widely in order to prevent toxic side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy to normal tissues.. However, recent studies have demonstrated that the effects of antioxidant supplementation in cancer therapy were largely disappointing. Despite nearly two decades of research investigating the use of dietary antioxidant supplementation during conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy, controversy remains about the efficacy and safety of these complementary treatments. Most studies found that antioxidant supplements do not reduce the risk for cancer or prevent tumour growth; at the contrary, these interventions resulted in some cases to be harmful to the patients. There is an urgent need to develop an evidence-based guidance on antioxidant supplementation, in order to obtain the best possible care and to avoid risky treatments for cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Akdeniz University, Medical Faculty, Department of Medical Biochemistry,07070 Antalya Turkey. ozben@akdeniz.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Tomris
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozben