Vitamins' impact on colon cancer minimal: study
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 7, 2010 | 3:43 PM ET
CBC News
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Taking multivitamins for colon cancer during and after surgery and chemotherapy does not significantly reduce the risk of recurrence or extend survival, a new study finds.
The study of stage 3 colon cancer patients — a phase when the cancer in the bowel has spread to a few adjacent lymph nodes — found that taking multivitamins had no effect on the cancer — either from a positive or negative standpoint.
Study participants completed questionnaires tracking their use of multivitamins. Of the study group of 1,038 who completed an initial survey, 518 indicated that they took multivitamins during chemotherapy. Of the 810 participants who completed a second survey six months after receiving chemotherapy, 416 reported taking multivitamins.
Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard University said that there were no statistically significant differences in disease-free survival among patients who took multivitamins and those who did not. There were also no differences in recurrence-free survival or overall survival.
There was a small benefit among patients 60 years and younger, with those patients surviving slightly longer. Obese patients also appeared to show a slight survival benefit.
U.S. studies have found that approximately 30 per cent of Americans take multivitamins to treat cancer.
The study is published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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