SynthesisIntegrative cancer therapies2016
Efficacy and Interaction of Antioxidant Supplements as Adjuvant Therapy in Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review.
Synthesis in Integrative cancer therapies, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 73 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
73 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 174 citations in OpenAlex.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Their Role in Pediatric Cancer.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- Zinc as a complementary treatment for cancer patients: a systematic review.Clinical and experimental medicine · 2021Pooled it
- The effect of grape products containing polyphenols on oxidative stress: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.Nutrition journal · 2021Pooled it
- Circulating Vitamin D Levels and DNA Repair Capacity in Four Molecular Subtypes of Women with Breast Cancer.International journal of molecular sciences · 2020Trial
- Herbal Products and Dietary Supplements in Radiation Oncology: Evidence, Safety, and Practical Patient Counseling.Seminars in radiation oncology · 2026Review
- The Redox Paradox of Natural Supplements in Cancer: A Narrative Review to Guide Clinical Practice.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- "At least i am doing something": a health belief model-guided qualitative study of nutritional supplement use among cancer patients during treatment.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Omega-3 fatty acids and chemotherapy-induced toxicities: mechanisms and emerging evidence with a pediatric focus.Nutrition & metabolism · 2025Review
- Effects of antioxidants on cancer progression.EMBO molecular medicine · 2025Review
- Oral administration of aripiprazole to Drosophila causes intestinal toxicity.Disease models & mechanisms · 2025Article
- Circadian rhythms and cancer: implications for timing in therapy.Discover oncology · 2024Review
- Updated perspectives on the contribution of the microbiome to the pathogenesis of mucositis using the MASCC/ISOO framework.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Review
- The Interplay between Endogenous and Foodborne Pro-Oxidants and Antioxidants in Shaping Redox Homeostasis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- The Potential of Integrative Cancer Treatment Using Melatonin and the Challenge of Heterogeneity in Population-Based Studies: A Case Report of Colon Cancer and a Literature Review.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2024Review
- Community-engaged basic science in an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center: antioxidants and chemotherapeutic efficacy.Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2024Article
- Therapeutic controversies over use of antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment: a scoping review.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Article
- Micronutrients Importance in Cancer Prevention-Vitamins.Cancer treatment and research · 2024Review
- Effects of Antioxidant Dietary Supplement Use upon Response to Cancer Treatment: A Scoping Review of Available Evidence.Nutrition and cancer · 2024Article
- Recommendations for nutritional supplements for dry eye disease: current advances.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Review
- The Impact of Oxidative Stress on Male Reproductive Function: Exploring the Role of Antioxidant Supplementation.Cureus · 2023Review
13 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a key component in carcinogenesis. Although radiation produces reactive oxygen species, some anticancer agents such as alkylating agents, platinum and antitumor antibiotics exert cytotoxicity by generating free radicals. Nonenzymatic exogenous antioxidants such as vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols can quench ROS activity. However, whether antioxidants alter antitumor effects during radiotherapy and some types of chemotherapy remains unclear. In the present study, we reviewed antioxidants as an adjuvant therapy for cancer patients during chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Electronic literature searches were performed to select all randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) in which antioxidants were administered to cancer patients along with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Articles or abstracts written in English were included. In total, 399 reports received primary screening. Duplicated articles and those meeting the exclusion criteria (not RCT, not human, and no oral administration) were excluded. Finally, 49 reports matching the inclusion criteria were included. It was difficult to determine whether antioxidants affect treatment outcomes or whether antioxidants ameliorate adverse effects induced by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It is desirable to use an evidence-based method to select supplements best suited to cancer patients. Although there are many opinions about risks or benefits of antioxidant supplementation, we could mostly conclude that the harm caused by antioxidant supplementation remains unclear for patients during cancer therapy, except for smokers undergoing radiotherapy.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.