Antioxidant Levels Tied to Treatment Toxicities in ALL

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Antioxidant Levels Tied to Treatment Toxicities in ALL

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 27 - In children with acute lymphoblastic

leukemia (ALL), antioxidant levels seem to predict treatment toxicity

and quality of life, new study findings suggest.

Cancer outcomes among adults are associated with antioxidant

concentrations, Dr. Kara M. and her colleagues note in their

report in the journal Pediatric Blood and Cancer, published online

December 27th. However, little is known about antioxidant concentrations

in children with cancer, although previous studies showed increased

free-radical production during ALL chemotherapy.

They therefore prospectively followed 103 children newly diagnosed with

ALL, measuring antioxidant levels, antioxidant capacity as determined by

the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay, and oxidative

damage, as reflected by levels 8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), during

the first 6 months of treatment.

Overall, the authors report, plasma concentrations of vitamin E

decreased over time, while total carotenoids and vitamin A, increased.

Vitamin C and 8-oxo-dG increased over the first 6 months, then declined

by month 6. ORAC decreased throughout the study, " suggesting that the

pool of flavanoids is reduced with initiation of chemotherapy. "

" In patients with higher plasma concentrations of vitamin A, E, total

carotenoids, ORAC, and 8-oxo-dG there was a beneficial association with

fewer dose reductions, fewer infections, improved quality of life, less

delay in chemotherapy treatment schedule, reduced toxicity, and fewer

days spent in the hospital, " Dr. 's group writes.

Although more research is required to clarify the relationships between

antioxidants and cancer treatment outcomes, the authors note, the

current findings suggest that children with ALL may experience fewer

treatment-related side effects by increasing the amount of fruits and

vegetables in their diet.

Pediatr Blood Cancer 2005;44:1-8.

Carol in IL

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FWD from another list

Antioxidant Levels Tied to Treatment Toxicities in ALLNEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 27 - In children with acute lymphoblasticleukemia (ALL), antioxidant levels seem to predict treatment toxicityand quality of life, new study findings suggest.Cancer outcomes among adults are associated with antioxidantconcentrations, Dr. Kara M. and her colleagues note in theirreport in the journal Pediatric Blood and Cancer, published onlineDecember 27th. However, little is known about antioxidant concentrationsin children with cancer, although previous studies showed increasedfree-radical production during ALL chemotherapy.They therefore prospectively followed 103 children newly diagnosed withALL, measuring antioxidant levels, antioxidant capacity as determined bythe Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay, and

oxidativedamage, as reflected by levels 8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), duringthe first 6 months of treatment.Overall, the authors report, plasma concentrations of vitamin Edecreased over time, while total carotenoids and vitamin A, increased.Vitamin C and 8-oxo-dG increased over the first 6 months, then declinedby month 6. ORAC decreased throughout the study, "suggesting that thepool of flavanoids is reduced with initiation of chemotherapy.""In patients with higher plasma concentrations of vitamin A, E, totalcarotenoids, ORAC, and 8-oxo-dG there was a beneficial association withfewer dose reductions, fewer infections, improved quality of life, lessdelay in chemotherapy treatment schedule, reduced toxicity, and fewerdays spent in the hospital," Dr. 's group writes.Although more research is required to clarify the relationships betweenantioxidants and cancer treatment outcomes, the authors note, thecurrent findings

suggest that children with ALL may experience fewertreatment-related side effects by increasing the amount of fruits andvegetables in their diet.Pediatr Blood Cancer 2005;44:1-8.