Supplements during chemotherapy

After talking with the pharmacist I guess I am thinking I will use Berberine when I my Taxol/Carboplatin series of infusions is complete.

That is probably the best way to go, so you have advice of someone on 'your team'. This is critical.

Our problem is I have collected numerous studies that the support of Berberine during chemo to work in synergy with the specific chemo drugs we are on. I guess the problem is that all these studies and review of studies are considered "pre-clinical evidence', which apparently is not enough to launch a clinical trial (or not lucrative enough) and clinical trials are the gold for the medical community to consider it ok, ie part of standard of care. Perhaps, all the people who are using well studied repurposed drugs and botanicals, in conjunction with their standard care, are out on a limb, either keeping quiet about it or using an Integrative Oncologist.

It's a quandary - we have replaced 1 daily dose of Ibuprofen for low dose aspirin because of the studies about aspirin and prostate cancer. We want to add Berberine, but also want to work "with' our care team. As for Berberine, I am sure there must be cancer patients who come to cancer treatment already taking Metformin, and they likely continue with it during their ca treatment. From the studies, Metformin and Berberine have the same mechanism of action. I believe there are nutraceutical companies that have quality standards for their dosage, methods, and sourcing. Ok, I have carried on and probably will get booted for challenging the standard thinking, but these are just thoughts after a ton of research. We are still figuring out what other than aspirin and green tea and diet changes we want to implement. I mean, its stageIV - we want to attack from as many safe angles as possible.

Wish I could tolerate aspirin, I agree that it looks like it could be useful. I have read posts from patients in chemo treatment who are taking curcumin and just not telling the oncologist. I am not that brave. I know turmeric can interact with cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver and effect the efficacy of certain chemo drugs. Unfortunately I could not find research to showing what specific chemo drugs it interacts with. My oncologist asked me not to take it as it interferes with some blood marker.
When I look at alternative treatments being done in Mexico it is Vitamin C infusions and Ivermectin, which may work for some but has me skeptical.

@dpfbanks, you mentioned integrative oncology. You're right. More and more cancer centers and oncology specialists are open to discussing and integrating complementary medicine in programs called Integrative Medicine or Integrative Oncology. Integrative medicince is offered at many cancer centers of excellence, including Mayo Clinic.

Here's a link to more information about Mayo Clinic's Integrative Medicine programs
– Integrative Medicine and Health https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/integrative-medicine-health/sections/overview/ovc-20464567

In this Mayo Clinic Q & A Podcast. Dr. D'Andre talks about how integrative oncology can be incorporated into conventional cancer care at Mayo Clinic.

@dpfbanks, I know you said the question is rhetorical, so I won't try to answer it. 🙂

But I have a resource to share with you and other that you might find helpful. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has an extensive website about integrative oncology and a list of herbs, supplements, etc to search and find out what the latest evidence is.

Check out these links:
- Integrative Medicine https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine
- About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs
- Search Herbs https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs/search