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Effects of Chemotherapy Are Underestimated
In an article published in the August 16th issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute it was announced that new research by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and Harvard Medical School have found that the side effects of chemotherapy are probably much underestimated.
The study examined the side effects of chemotherapy in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. When the common side effects were looked at more closely, Dr, Michael Hassett, the study’s author, found that the women suffered more emergency room visits and hospitalizations for the side effects than previously estimated.
The study looked at younger women undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, the most common form of cancer treatment undergone by young women.
Only one previous study of the side effects of chemotherapy has been done to measure the effects and it was performed on a general population. The results of that older study showed that hospitalization was rare.
However, in the new study Dr. Hassett tracked two groups of women for one year. One group had undergone chemotherapy, while the other had not. He found that the women who were treated by chemotherapy were more likely to visit an emergency room and/or require hospitalization for any cause. The ratio of visits was 61:42. The most common reasons for these visits was fever, infection, low white blood cell or platelet count, nausea, diarrhea, malnutrition or dehydration.
This represented a significant financial increase in costs. The resulting health care costs averaged over $1,200 and an additional $17,000 for ambulatory care.
However, women should not let this study prevent them from deciding to undergo treatment.
Another recent study provides a basis of relief from some of these side effects and explains how they work though the use of Lipid Replacement Therapy (LRT).
Patients undergoing chemotherapy often complain about side effects, the most common being fatigue, but which can also include pain, nausea, vomiting, malaise, diarrhea, headaches, rashes and infections, among other things. 75% of patients reported fatigue as a side effect.
Fatigue is related to reductions in the efficiency of cellular energy systems, found primarily in mitochondria. This occurs naturally through aging and in times of illness mainly due to oxidation. It happens when the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) causes oxidative stress and cellular damage, resulting in the oxidation of cell lipids. LRT results in the replacement of these damaged cell lipids with undamaged ones.
The study found that to reverse damage and maintain the proper structure and function of these cellular structures, LRT must deliver high concentrations of unoxidized, undamaged membrane lipids. LRT has proven to be effective in preventing ROS changes.
Under previous studies, NT Factor® has been proven to be such an LRT. What makes NT Factor such a successful LRT is its encapsulated lipids. The lipids are protected from oxidation in the gut and can be absorbed and transported into the tissue in there original form.
The most recent study has found that LRT plus antioxidants has been proven to be beneficial to patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Propax with NT Factor is one such combination and was proving useful in reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy. It was determined that those on Propax with NT Factor experienced fewer episodes of fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, skin change, insomnia and other effects. 57-70% of patients reported rapid improvements in most of the side effects.
While doctors underestimate the effects of chemotherapy on patients’ quality of life, researchers are finding new ways to improve it. Propax with NT Factor and NT Factor have already been proven to do aid in the recovery from the devastating effects of chemotherapy.
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