DOES RESVERATROL ENHANCE THE EFFECTS OF RADIATION THERAPY?
Cancer patients are frequently told by their oncologists not to take antioxidants while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Supposedly, antioxidants counteract the beneficial free radicals that are generated by conventional treatment, thereby interfering with its effectiveness. A small number of scientists have argued the opposite, suggesting that antioxidants do not generally interfere with cancer treatment but, rather, enhance its effectiveness while sparing normal cells from damage. It is one of the great dividing lines between conventional and CAM-oriented practitioners. Recent research from the University of Rochester has contradicted the idea that antioxidants interfere and has added credibility to the idea that they enhance treatment effectiveness. It thus adds to a growing body of data, both experimental and clinical, that antioxidants should be used by cancer patients. The Rochester research team was headed by Paul Okunieff, MD. He is chief of Radiation Oncology at t
