from Current Oncology Reports
Nearly one hundred billion dollars was spent on dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals and herbs in one recent year. Many cancer patients use such supplements and sometimes without telling their doctor. Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston say cancer patients tend to use supplements because they want to do everything possible to feel hopeful, enhance the body’s natural defenses, use less toxic treatments or reduce the side effect of mainstream treatments. However, despite ongoing research, little is known about the effectiveness of dietary supplements in cancer care, including the safety or risks when used with conventional cancer drugs. The article in Current Oncology Reports has a list of the most common dietary supplements and basic information about them for doctors and patients.