Cancer

The Role of Naturopathic Medicine During Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer

sana — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:56:43 +0000

The Role of Naturopathic Medicine During Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer sana Fri, 06/27/2025 - 11:56

Background:

Active surveillance (AS) is increasingly used in low-risk prostate cancer, presenting an opportunity for integrative interventions to delay progression and improve overall health. This review explores the role of diet, exercise, and nutritional supplements in AS.

Methods:

A narrative review of clinical and observational studies on dietary patterns, physical activity (PA), and nutritional supplements in AS and pre-surgical prostate cancer research.

Results:

Plant-based and Mediterranean diets may reduce Gleason-grade progression, though randomized controlled trials (RCTs) show mixed results. Exercise, particularly high-intensity interval training (HIIT), may influence prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics. Nutritional supplements such as vitamin D, green tea polyphenols, lycopene, mushroom mycelium extract, glucoraphanin, and fish oil show potential but inconsistent effects. Cardiovascular disease mortality surpasses prostate cancer mortality in men with localized disease, underscoring the need for cardiometabolic support alongside AS. Multimodal approaches integrating diet, exercise, and supplementation may offer the greatest benefit.

Conclusion:

While no single intervention is proven to prevent prostate cancer progression, a comprehensive, personalized approach, including diet, exercise, and additional integrative therapies, may optimize outcomes in motivated patients. Future research should focus on evaluating multimodal integrative strategies in AS.

DOI link: https://doi.org/10.54434/candj.204

Author

Megan Sandri, Daniel Lander

Citedate

2025-06-19

Citation

Sandri M, Lander D. The Role of Naturopathic Medicine During Active Surveillance in Prostate Cancer. CANDJ [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 19 [cited 2025 Jun. 27];32(2):41-9. Available from: https://candjournal.ca/index.php/candj/article/view/204

Publication

CAND Journal

Taxonomy

Cancer

A Comprehensive Description of Naturopathic Care for Advanced Cancers: Outcomes from the Canadian/US Integrative Oncology Study

sana — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:54:19 +0000

A Comprehensive Description of Naturopathic Care for Advanced Cancers: Outcomes from the Canadian/US Integrative Oncology Study sana Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:54

Background:

There is a paucity of real-world data on the treatments naturopathic doctors (NDs) use for supportive cancer care. We conducted an observational cohort study to comprehensively describe the treatments NDs with experience in cancer care recommend to their patients.

Methods:

Patients with advanced breast, colorectal, ovarian, or pancreatic cancer were recruited from 12 North American naturopathic clinics and followed for 2 to 3 years. Therapeutic recommendations were abstracted from clinic records.

Results:

384 participants (154 breast, 112 colorectal, 71 ovarian, 47 pancreatic) were included in the analyses. The median number of ND visits was 5. The most common types of recommendations were natural health products (NHPs, 99% of participants), nutrition guidance (88%), and parenteral therapies (81%). Mental health (33%) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (29%) were least common. Participants were recommended a median of 11 NHPs throughout the study, with 430 unique products recommended across all participants. Nutrition guidance heavily favoured encouraging foods rather than discouraging them (83% vs. 17% of all dietary recommendations, respectively). Vitamin D, curcumin, intravenous vitamin C, increasing protein intake, and exercise were recommended to at least 50% of participants across each cancer type. Other common recommendations included melatonin, fish oil, Trametes versicolor, subcutaneous mistletoe, increasing vegetable intake, and eating behaviour changes. Recommendations were fairly uniform between cancer types, with the most variation seen in NHPs.

Conclusion:

NDs frequently recommend NHPs, nutrition guidance, and parenteral therapies for people with advanced cancer. The diversity of unique recommendations suggests individualized care, yet some commonly used treatments demonstrate a degree of consistency.

Citation:

Seely D, Legacy M, Conte E, Rizzolo E, Sweet E, Chiang PF, Dale L, Psihogios A, Ennis J, Parmar G, Marsden E, Reid M, Rubin D, Reilly P, Traub M, Naydis E, Ramsay T, Standish LJ. A Comprehensive Description of Naturopathic Care for Advanced Cancers: Outcomes from the Canadian/US Integrative Oncology Study. CANDJ [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 19 [cited 2025 Jun. 27];32(2):21-40. Available from: https://candjournal.ca/index.php/candj/article/view/207

DOI link: https://doi.org/10.54434/candj.207

Author

Seely D, Legacy M, Conte E, Rizzolo E, Sweet E, Chiang PF, Dale L, Psihogios A, Ennis J, Parmar G, Marsden E, Reid M, Rubin D, Reilly P, Traub M, Naydis E, Ramsay T, Standish LJ

Citedate

2025-06-19

Citation

Publication

CAND Journal

Taxonomy

Cancer

Naturopathic Oncology for Advanced Cancers: Survival Outcomes from the Canadian/US Integrative Oncology Study

sana — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:29:07 +0000

Naturopathic Oncology for Advanced Cancers: Survival Outcomes from the Canadian/US Integrative Oncology Study sana Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:29

Background:

Several traditional, complementary, and integrative therapies have been studied for their effect on cancer outcomes; however, few studies have evaluated naturopathic oncology in a real-world setting. We conducted an observational cohort study to evaluate whether consulting with a naturopathic doctor (ND) improves survival in people with advanced cancers.

Methods:

Participants with metastatic breast, metastatic colorectal, advanced ovarian, or advanced pancreatic cancer were recruited from 12 North American naturopathic clinics. The primary outcome was 5-year overall survival compared with a matched cohort from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry. We additionally evaluated survival based on the number of ND visits and intravenous vitamin C (IVC), intravenous mistletoe, and hyperthermia treatments.

Results:

400 participants were enrolled: 165 had breast cancer, 116 had colorectal cancer, 72 had ovarian cancer, and 47 had pancreatic cancer. A bootstrapped analysis showed no significant differences in 5-year survival compared with SEER (breast: median hazard ratio [HR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.80–1.54; colorectal: median HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.68–1.31; ovarian: median HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.64–1.86; pancreatic: median HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.51–1.13). Higher survival odds were seen with increasing IVC treatments in breast cancer, and with increasing ND visits in all cancer types except ovarian.

Conclusion:

No survival benefits were seen in patients with advanced cancers who saw an ND compared with registry data. After controlling for survivorship bias, in general, the number of ND visits positively correlated with improved survival; however, the number of select naturopathic treatments did not. Findings should be interpreted with caution given study limitations.

Citation:

Standish LJ, Sweet E, Chiang PF, Legacy M, Conte E, Rizzolo E, Dale L, Psihogios A, Ennis J, Parmar G, Marsden E, Reid M, Rubin D, Reilly P, Traub M, Naydis E, Ramsay T, Seely D. Naturopathic Oncology for Advanced Cancers: Survival Outcomes from the Canadian/US Integrative Oncology Study. CANDJ [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 19 [cited 2025 Jun. 27];32(2):4-20. Available from: https://candjournal.ca/index.php/candj/article/view/206

DOI link: https://doi.org/10.54434/candj.206

Author

Standish LJ, Sweet E, Chiang PF, Legacy M, Conte E, Rizzolo E, Dale L, Psihogios A, Ennis J, Parmar G, Marsden E, Reid M, Rubin D, Reilly P, Traub M, Naydis E, Ramsay T, Seely D

Citedate

2025-06-19

Citation

Publication

CAND Journal

Taxonomy

Cancer

The Value of Naturopathic Medicine in Cancer Care

sana — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:25:23 +0000

The Value of Naturopathic Medicine in Cancer Care sana Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:25

DOI link: https://doi.org/10.54434/candj.210

Author

Ellen Conte

Citedate

2025-06-19

Citation

Conte E. The Value of Naturopathic Medicine in Cancer Care. CANDJ [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 19 [cited 2025 Jun. 27];32(2):2-3. Available from: https://candjournal.ca/index.php/candj/article/view/210

Publication

CAND Journal

Taxonomy

Cancer

Melatonin in cancer treatment

sana — Thu, 08 May 2025 13:55:31 +0000

Melatonin in cancer treatment sana Thu, 05/08/2025 - 09:55

Rationale

Preserving health-related quality of life is an aspect of care that requires constant attention from the time of cancer diagnosis. Melatoninhas been used to diminish treatment-related side effects and cancer symptoms, and as a medication to regulate circadian rhythm. An up-to-date systematic review is needed to investigate the current evidence concerning possible beneficial effects of melatonin on quality oflife and sleep in cancer patients.

Objectives

To evaluate the benefits and harms of melatonin for preserving health-related quality of life and sleep in cancer patients.

Search methods

To identify studies for inclusion in this review, we used CENTRAL, MEDLINE, 10 other databases, and four trial registers, together withreference checking, citation searching, and contact with study authors. The latest search date was 10 September 2024.

Eligibility criteria

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of adults (18 years or over) with histologically proven cancer of any stage that evaluatedmelatonin (alone or in combination with standard anticancer treatment) versus no treatment or placebo (alone or in combination withstandard anticancer treatment), or standard anticancer treatment. Standard anticancer treatment refers to treatments to stop or preventcancer, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, immunotherapy, and hormonal therapies (such as androgen deprivationtherapy).

Outcomes

The primary outcomes of interest were quality of life and sleep quality within three months, and melatonin-related adverse events. Otheroutcomes included survival, disease-free survival, progression-free survival, tumour response, and anticancer treatment-related harms.

Risk of bias

We used Cochrane's risk of bias tool (RoB 1) to assess the risk of bias in the studies included in the review.

Synthesis methods

We synthesised results for each outcome using random‐effects meta‐analysis. The effect size was presented as risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous data and mean difference (MD) for continuous data, with 95% confidence intervals (CI). If this was not possible, due to the nature of the data, we synthesised results in a narrative format. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for each outcome.

Included studies

We identified 30 RCTs (reported in 49 publications) involving 5093 adult participants with cancer (2470 males, 2228 females, 395 not reported). Studies were conducted in a hospital setting and took place in at least 10 countries. We assessed two studies at low risk of bias and the other 28 at high risk of bias.

Synthesis of results

Melatonin plus standard treatment versus placebo plus standard treatment

The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of melatonin on quality of life score (MD 2.60, 95% CI −14.53 to 19.73; 1 study, 126 participants; very low certainty evidence), and sleep score (MD 2.80, 95% CI 0.18 to 5.42; 1 study, 50 participants; very low certainty evidence) within three months. We are also very uncertain about potential adverse effects of melatonin: headache (RR 2.77, 95% CI 0.33 to 23.14; 1 study, 25 participants; very low certainty evidence); fatigue (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.17; 2 studies, 170 participants; very low certainty evidence); and nausea (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.56; 1 study, 146 participants; very low certainty evidence). No data are available relating to dizziness. We downgraded the certainty of the evidence because of high risk of bias, small sample size, the width of the 95% confidence interval, and indirectness due to inadequate reporting of cancer type.

Melatonin plus standard treatment versus standard treatment

No data are available relating to quality of life and sleep within three months. The evidence is very uncertain about headaches (experienced by 15 of 820 participants in melatonin groups, with no data available for control groups; 2 studies, 1640 participants; very low certainty evidence). Melatonin likely reduces the incidence of fatigue (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.55; 10 studies, 1359 participants; moderate‐certainty evidence) and may reduce nausea (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.00; 6 studies, 710 participants; low‐certainty evidence). No data are available relating to dizziness. We downgraded the certainty of the evidence because of the high risk of bias and the width of the 95% confidence interval.

Melatonin (topical use) plus standard treatment versus placebo plus standard treatment

The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of melatonin on quality of life (one study reported no difference between groups, both having the same median score of 66.7; 48 participants; very low certainty evidence). No data are available relating to sleep and adverse events (including headache, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea). We downgraded the certainty of the evidence because of the high risk of bias, small sample size, and insufficient data.

Authors' conclusions

The available evidence is of very low certainty, so we are unable to draw conclusions about the effects of melatonin on quality of life and sleep at three months in people receiving treatment for cancer. There may be no difference in adverse events between melatonin plus standard treatment and placebo plus standard treatment, but the evidence is very uncertain. Data were lacking for some outcomes, such as dizziness. Melatonin used alongside standard treatment probably reduces the risk of fatigue and may reduce nausea when compared to standard treatment alone. Since the evidence base for melatonin in people with cancer is limited due to insufficient data and risks of bias in study design, the decision for or against using melatonin as an adjunct to cancer treatment cannot easily be made at the current time.

Funding

This Cochrane Review was partially funded by AG Biologische Krebstherapie, Deutsche Krebshilfe (grant numbers 70‐301 and 109863). The funding agency had no role in the design or conduct of the study.

Registration

The protocol for this review is available via DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD010145.

Author

Yu ZY, Peng RY, Cheng N, Wang RT, Nan MD, Milazzo S, Pilkington K, Seely D, Horneber M, Liu JP

Citedate

2025-04-30

Citation

Yu ZY, Peng RY, Cheng N, Wang RT, Nan MD, Milazzo S, Pilkington K, Seely D, Horneber M, Liu JP. Melatonin in cancer treatment.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2025, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD010145. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010145.pub2.

Publication

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Taxonomy

Cancer

Advancing Supportive Cancer Care: A Survey of Naturopathic Doctors to Identify Practice Patterns, Knowledge Gaps and Resource Needs

sana — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:34:55 +0000

Advancing Supportive Cancer Care: A Survey of Naturopathic Doctors to Identify Practice Patterns, Knowledge Gaps and Resource Needs sana Wed, 04/30/2025 - 11:34

Background:

Clinical guidance for naturopathic doctors (NDs) in supportive cancer care is limited, highlighting a potential need for resource development.

Objectives:

Describe naturopathic practice, identify oncology-related knowledge gaps, and determine preferred clinical resources.

Methods:

A 40-item online survey was distributed to NDs through naturopathic associations, social media, and informal networking. Questions varied based on whether respondents provided cancer care (“cancer stream”) or not (“general stream”). The survey ran from September 2023 to March 2024. Data analysis included frequency distributions and descriptive statistics.

Results:

Among 149 eligible responses, 62% practiced in Canada, 36% in the United States, and 2% elsewhere. The cancer stream (n = 99) primarily worked in community settings, offered hybrid care, and did not exclusively treat cancer patients. The largest knowledge gaps were related to intravenous (IV) green tea extract and curcumin, photodynamic and ozone therapy, managing tinnitus, and interactions between naturopathic interventions and stem cell transplants and photodynamic therapy. Time constraints were the main barrier to addressing knowledge gaps. The smallest gaps were reported for exercise counselling, the Mediterranean diet, IV vitamin C, vitamin/mineral infusions, and managing constipation, anxiety, diarrhea, fatigue, hot flashes, and depression. In total, 97% supported the development of clinical resources, with no format preference. In the general stream, 58% indicated that additional training would increase their likelihood of offering cancer care.

Conclusion:

This survey highlights oncology-related knowledge gaps, which were generally highest for less commonly used and studied therapies, and strong clinician support for resource development. Varied resource formats may accommodate different learning styles and improve dissemination.

DOI link: https://doi.org/10.54434/candj.196

Author

Rizzolo E, Legacy M, Conte E, El Sayed M, Seely D.

Citedate

2025-03-20

Citation

Rizzolo E, Legacy M, Conte E, El Sayed M, Seely D. Advancing Supportive Cancer Care: A Survey of Naturopathic Doctors to Identify Practice Patterns, Knowledge Gaps and Resource Needs. CANDJ [Internet]. 2025 Mar. 20 [cited 2025 Apr. 30];32(1):3-26.

Publication

CAND Journal

Taxonomy

Cancer

Intravenous Vitamin C in Cancer Care: Evidence Review and Practical Guidance for Integrative Oncology Practitioners

sana — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:25:05 +0000

Intravenous Vitamin C in Cancer Care: Evidence Review and Practical Guidance for Integrative Oncology Practitioners sana Wed, 03/27/2024 - 11:25

Abstract

Intravenous vitamin C (IVC) is a common therapy used by naturopathic doctors and other licensed integrative practitioners. With several proposed mechanisms of action related to cancer care, it is often used in integrative oncology settings. Despite its common use, there are no published evidence-based resources on the efficacy, safety, and procedural considerations for the use of IVC in practice. The objectives of this review are to summarize the evidence on high-dose IVC in supportive cancer care and to provide a resource of practical clinical guidance for IVC application. In cancer care, IVC is most commonly used at doses high enough to achieve a potential cancer cell cytotoxicity. This review focuses on IVC at doses of ≥15 g which we have defined as high-dose. To date, there are 23 published clinical trials evaluating the use of high-dose IVC in cancer support. Based on data from these clinical studies, IVC used concurrently with oxidative therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, seems to produce the greatest likelihood for improvements in quality of life and additive anti-tumour effects compared with IVC as monotherapy or with non-oxidative therapies. IVC has shown promise in improving quality of life in patients with breast cancer and advanced pancreatic and ovarian cancers. Limited evidence suggests survival and/or tumour response may be improved with the inclusion of IVC in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and RAS-mutated colorectal cancer. IVC does not offer curative potential, and further research is needed to explore its effectiveness relevant to mortality outcomes. Practical guidance including assessment, monitoring, dosing, safety, and communication with other healthcare providers is discussed.

DOI link: https://doi.org/10.54434/candj.149

Author

Ellen Conte, ND, Erica Rizzolo, ND, Gillian Flower, ND, Mark Legacy, BSc, and Dugald Seely, ND, MSc

Citedate

2024-03-21

Citation

Conte E, Rizzolo E, Flower G, Legacy M, Seely, D. Intravenous vitamin C in cancer care: Evidence review and practical guidance for integrative oncology practitioners. CAND Journal. 2024;31(1):2-18. https://doi.org/10.54434/candj.149

Publication

CAND Journal

Taxonomy

Cancer

Integrative Oncology Care of Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Adults With Cancer: Society for Integrative Oncology–ASCO Guideline

sana — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:23:46 +0000

Integrative Oncology Care of Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Adults With Cancer: Society for Integrative Oncology–ASCO Guideline sana Wed, 09/06/2023 - 17:23

Purpose:

To provide evidence-based recommendations to health care providers on integrative approaches to managing anxiety and depression symptoms in adults living with cancer.

Methods:

The Society for Integrative Oncology and ASCO convened an expert panel of integrative oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, palliative oncology, social sciences, mind-body medicine, nursing, methodology, and patient advocacy representatives. The literature search included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials published from 1990 through 2023. Outcomes of interest included anxiety or depression symptoms as measured by validated psychometric tools, and adverse events. Expert panel members used this evidence and informal consensus with the Guidelines into Decision Support methodology to develop evidence-based guideline recommendations.

Results:

The literature search identified 110 relevant studies (30 systematic reviews and 80 randomized controlled trials) to inform the evidence base for this guideline.

Recommendations:

Recommendations were made for mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), yoga, relaxation, music therapy, reflexology, and aromatherapy (using inhalation) for treating symptoms of anxiety during active treatment; and MBIs, yoga, acupuncture, tai chi and/or qigong, and reflexology for treating anxiety symptoms after cancer treatment. For depression symptoms, MBIs, yoga, music therapy, relaxation, and reflexology were recommended during treatment, and MBIs, yoga, and tai chi and/or qigong were recommended post-treatment.

Discussion:

Issues of patient-health care provider communication, health disparities, comorbid medical conditions, cost implications, guideline implementation, provider training and credentialing, and quality assurance of natural health products are discussed. While several approaches such as MBIs and yoga appear effective, limitations of the evidence base including assessment of risk of bias, nonstandardization of therapies, lack of diversity in study samples, and lack of active control conditions as well as future research directions are discussed.

DOI link: https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.23.00857

Author

L Carlson; N Ismaila; E Addington; G Asher; C Atreya; L Balneaves; J Bradt; N Fuller-Shavel; J Goodman; C Hoffman; A Huston; A Mehta; C Paller; K Richardson, D Seely; C Siwik; J Temel; Julia Rowland

Citedate

2023-08-15

Citation

DOI: 10.1200/JCO.23.00857 Journal of Clinical Oncology

Publication

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Taxonomy

Cancer

Mistletoe Extracts during the Oncological Perioperative Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human Randomized Controlled Trials

sana — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:11:37 +0000

Mistletoe Extracts during the Oncological Perioperative Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human Randomized Controlled Trials sana Wed, 09/06/2023 - 17:11

Background:

We aim to evaluate the safety and efficacy of mistletoe extract (ME) use during the oncological perioperative period. Methods: Details registered a priori on PROSPERO (CRD42018086168). Results: Seven RCTs (comprising 663 participants in nine reports) and three nonrandomized studies were included. In five RCTs, ME was evaluated as adjunctive care and the control group had no additional intervention, whereas in two RCTs, ME was compared head-to-head against common cancer treatments (i.e., etoposide or bacillus Calmette-Guérin) with the intervention groups not receiving standard care. Meta-analyses found no evidence for a difference between ME and no added therapy for mortality and recurrence (RR, 95% CI: 1.00, 0.79–1.27; and 1.03, 0.79–1.33, respectively). Two RCTs reported beneficial effects of ME on immune cells, specifically natural killer cells, in colorectal cancer, and one RCT reported quality of life improvement. Two RCTs reported ME discontinuations due to adverse events and grade 3/4 toxicities. Nevertheless, no safety signals were detected from these 10 studies. Quality appraisal revealed a substantial risk of bias. Conclusions: Preliminary data are encouraging for mistletoe extracts, particularly in the context of colorectal cancer. However, the evidence is limited by the number of studies, an evaluation of different outcomes, and methodological limitations. Further high-quality research is warranted.

DOI link: https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30090595

Author

Cogo E, Elsayed M, Bhardwaj S, Cooley K, Aycho C, Liang V, Papadogianis P, Psihogios A, Seely D

Citedate

2023-09-06

Citation

Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30(9), 8196-8219; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30090595

Publication

Current Oncology

Taxonomy

Cancer

Vitamin C for the Treatment of Depression in Cancer Patients: A Literature Review

sana — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 21:54:24 +0000

Vitamin C for the Treatment of Depression in Cancer Patients: A Literature Review sana Thu, 09/08/2022 - 17:54

Introduction

One in two Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and one in four will experience depression during their diagnosis. The cause of depression during cancer could be related to psychological, social, inflammatory, or immunological factors. Vitamin C can exert an effect on oxidative stress levels, adrenal function, and immune function and may have a role in the treatment of both cancer and depression. Vitamin C levels can affect neurotransmitter levels and its ability to increase quality of life in cancer patients, as well as relieve other cancer-related symptoms such as pain, has been documented.

Methods:

A systematic literature search was completed to identify all studies that assessed changes in depression symptom severity in patients receiving intravenous vitamin C treatment. The databases utilized include PubMed, Medline Complete, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and PMC. The inclusion criteria were: human participants with confirmed cancer of any type and stage, intravenous vitamin C treatment, with or without conventional treatment and with or without additional oral vitamin C dosing, and assessment of depression.

Results:

Out of 152 unique articles analyzed, four observational studies evaluate depression symptoms as part of an assessment of quality of life in cancer patients undergoing intravenous vitamin C treatment. All four studies reported improvement in mood.

Discussion:

The four included studies assessed the role of intravenous vitamin C in the treatment of depression in cancer patients. These studies confirmed previous research reporting improved quality of life and other cancer-related benefits (i.e. decreasing fatigue and pain). All four studies noted a decrease of depression in cancer patients which are summarized in Table 1. The included studies all evaluated safety and reported no significant adverse effects associated with the treatment.

Conclusion:

The current literature suggests that intravenous vitamin C could potentially have a beneficial effect on levels of depression in patients with cancer; however, more research is needed. Prospective clinical trials using validated assessment tools to capture changes in depression and control groups are needed to further study the potential role of this therapy in the treatment of depression in cancer patients.

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.26685/urncst.352

Author

Jordan A. Kerner; Erica Eckstrand

Citedate

2022-09-02

Publication

URNCST Journal

Taxonomy

Cancer