< previous page | page_279 | next page >
Page 279
| Examples: Bacillus (BCG), interferon, interleukin-2, irinotecan (CPT-11), topotecan, and vinorelbine tartrate. |
| Uses: Kaposi's sarcoma, leukemias, melanoma, and bladder, kidney, colon, and ovarian cancers. |
| Protecting Agents |
| In addition, there are protecting agents that are used with other chemotherapeutic drugs to either enhance or minimize their side effects. |
| Examples: Leucovorin (folate) is used as an antidote to the anticancer drug methotrexate, and as a synergist with the drug fluorouracil. 2 Steroids are also used to diminish allergic reactions to chemotherapy, but sometimes their side effects can be as serious as those of the chemotherapy itself. |
| Side Effects of Chemotherapy |
| The powerful drugs used in chemotherapy destroy constantly dividing cancer cells, but unfortunately, they also affect healthy dividing cells, causing many side effects, such as nausea and vomiting; loss of appetite; weakness; mouth ulcers; fatigue; hair loss; menstrual changes; a weakened immune system, which lowers resistance to infections; anemia; heart problems; kidney and/or liver toxicity; and even more cancer. Although most of these side effects are temporary and will gradually go away once treatment is stopped, some of them can be permanent. For example, the drug Adriamycin can injure the heart. However, the appropriate nutritional supplements can be protective. The most effective nutritional supplements known to be protective against the harmful effects of Adriamycin (along with their divided daily doses) are: |
| Vitamin E succinate, 400 IU |
| Selenium, 200 mcg |
| Vitamin C ascorbate, 1,000 to 2,000 mg |
| Quercetin, 600 to 1,000 mg |
| Bromelain, 500 to 1,000 mg |
| CoQ10, 100 to 400 mg |
| Lipoic acid, 100 to 600 mg |
| N-acetyl cysteine, 1,000 to 2,000 mg |
| PCOs or flavonoid-rich plant extracts such as hawthorn, 200 to 300 mg |
< previous page | page_279 | next page >

If you like this book, buy it!