anti-oxidents.

[rinaina]

I am still confused on the issue of whether anti-oxidents are safe to take during chemo or not. Also can they be safe to take during herceptin and taxol treatments? Some say fine others say dangerous because it counteracts the treatment. Help? Need lots of info on this. Are soy products a no no too? Have heard that dairy is bad for you to while going through chemo. Any documented studies on these topics I should be reading?
Once again, thank you for your help through this highly anxious time. As I am learning so much from this forum I am becoming more and more empowered to take care of myself and be my own best advocate. While I had a very positive attitude from day one, I am even more positive that I will beat this cancer and wish the same for everyone.
Rina

[MCS]

I am certainly not the expert in diet here. Rhonda is superb, really superb. maybe she'll see this thread.

Other ones of us support flaxseed ( not if you are er+).

I did not take any antioxidants during chemo. However, I have heard others take a minimum amount of coq10 during chemo

I take small amount of coq10 now under herceptin. I hope it's working, my mugga not great but steady enough.

I drink milk, nofat and low fart yogurt.

I also used a regular one a day kind of pill ( centrum or one a day is ok, per the docs)

I have used Beating Cancer with Nutrition by Patrick Quillin. I believe Rhonda uses the Breast Cancer Diet. Search for this here, she's written about it. I printed her write up and keep it in a file for reference.

However I do admit, I cannot give up a daily m&m or a cookie as treat. Can't do it

Hang in there

XO

MCS ( maria)

[al from Canada]

I met with a nutricianist once who said trying to stop cancer chemo actions with an anti-oxydan pill is like trying to put out a nuclear attack with a fire extinguisher. Although, I am more in the middle of the road, we have to look at the overall benefit. For example, CoQ10 is an anti-oxydent but the benefits for the cardio do out weight the adverse.
I have heasrd that soy and diary is bad for the phyto-estrogenic effects; should that matter if you are ER(-)?? Maybe because ER status can change in the progression of the disease. Milk is also bad because it may contain anti-biotics which also fuel ER cancers.
I would concentrate on the following:
CoQ10 for cardio, IP6 for PI3K inhibition, DIM and I3K for proper Est metabaolism, Curcumin for anti-tumor, PI3K and COX2 inhibition, oleic acid, curcumin for her3 degradation. Flaxseed oil for Omega 3 balance and HER2 degradation. REservratol and B6 for nueral functioning, not to mention that all of these have anti-carcinogen properties!!! Best,
Al

[heblaj01]

rinaina,

I think you will have to make up your own mind (or rely on your onc) because even the experts can't agree on all facets of antioxidant activities in cancer.

One area where there seems to be agreement is in the field of prevention.
Antioxidants by suppressing free radicals which may be cancer causing are reducing the risk of initiating a cancerous tumour.
However once the disease is in progress the use of antioxidants is still debated as you will be aware after reading about the controversy between Dr Gabriella D’Andrea who published a paper in 2005 (after several more by other researchers, against the use of antioxidants while undergoing cytotoxic treatments such as chemo drugs generating free radicals to kill cancer cells), & Ralph Moss Phd who published an essay of counter arguments.
However when the cancer treatment does not involve an oxidative process it could be that
antioxidants may still play a usefull role. But I am not an expert on the subject to make a recommandation.
Ref.
http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/annieappleseedproject/ptsunchemanr.html

http://www.cancerdecisions.com/112005_page.html