Letter 1. Dr Rashid Motala - May 28, 2008 As cancers and other immune depressing illnesses like AIDS and Tuberculosis etc can be caused and worsened by the presence of free radicals, the boosting of the immune system prior to chemotherapy and radiotherapy would be very advisable. This would result in the mopping up of these free radicals. Methods used to boost the immune system would include simple measures like 1. A healthy diet high in fresh fruit and vegetables especially those with a high immune boosting capacity i.e. smaller fruit i.e. with a high surface area to volume ratio as the anti-oxidant property of fruit is concentrated more in the skin of the fruit. These would include berries, beans, the black onion seed (Nigella sativa or kalunji)(a teaspoon a day (chewed) in winter and much less in summer as it may cause itchiness in the hot summer months at higher doses) 2. The stopping or avoiding of smoking and alcohol. 3. Exercising regularly. 4. Adequate rest and sleep. 5. Avoiding highly refined foods and instead only using unrefined foods like wholewheat brown bread instead of white bread, using honey or brown sugar instead of white sugar, using unpolished or brown rice instead of white rice and using wholewheat products like wholewheat pasta, crisps (e.g. Walkers) biscuits, cereal bars and similar products. 6. Hyperbaric oxygen (if not contraindicated and only under specialist medical supervision) i.e. O3 and not O2. 7. The "tree of life", a product which can be grown on windowsills. LETTER 2. Umut Cagin Ari, DVM - May 28, 2008 The current study is beneficial to reveal interaction between side effects of cancer therapy and antioxidants. However, some antioxidants have not only beneficial effects as a scavenger of radicals but also detrimental effects if structure of antioxidants have been changed with radiation etc. For example, when beta-carotene have been used with cigar in order to reduce effects of cigar, beta-carotene may be detrimental. LETTER 3. Ann Fonfa, advocate - Jun 21, 2008 As a patient advocate, I deplore the fact that a full 15 years after my own diagnosis, we still do not have usable information (in the view of these authors) to definitely say if it is okay to combine antioxidants with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This is SO unfair to people with cancer. On the other hand, there is no meaningful evidence showing danger, just guesswork. Is that enough to tell patients to avoid commplementary use of vitamins, acupuncture, homeopathy, or the like during therapy that is KNOWN to be harmful to patients - that is conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy? There is plenty of level 2 and 3 evidence as to the value of fresh and organic produce, avoiding JUNK food (soda, fried foods, white flours, etc.) that people can read and react to. We wish they would - read it that is. We support the idea of combining healthy lifestyle/nutrition/exercise/relaxtion/detoxification and the use of supplements. We also want to point out that vitamin E succinate is considered the appropriate antioxidant with radiation therapy not d-alpha tocopherol. Avoid N-acetyl cisteine at this time. There are studies on this. Ann Fonfa President www.annieappleseedproject.org Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.