Day: October 24, 2014

The use of dietary supplements among patients affected by cancer is extensive, with an estimated 20-90 % of patients using these products. Their use of these products is often not shared with the treating physician. “Doctors need to understand why patients with cancer use dietary supplements in the first place. Patients tend to use these supplements because they want to do everything possible to feel hopeful, empower themselves, enhance the body’s natural defenses, use less toxic treatments, or reduce side effects of mainstream treatments,” said Dr. Victor Sierpina, UTMB professor of family medicine. “In fact, most patients choose to use dietary supplements to improve their quality of life rather than seeking a cure for their disease.” In the September issue of Current Oncology Reports, researchers at University of Texas Medical Branch, Sierpina describes a patient centered approach to managing dietary supplement use in cancer care. By Moshe Frenkel and Victor Sierpina, published in Current Oncology, Sept. 2014.