Nutrition Supplements Aid Breast Cancer Care

By Dr. Ray Sahelian

Many women who need chemotherapy, surgery or radiation for breast cancer take a drug called tamoxifen. The hope is that this drug will reduce recurrence of the breast cancer. New research shows that nutritional supplements can help the drug do its job better.

Some background: Doctors monitor breast cancer recurrence or relapse by watching certain markers. Two breast cancer tumor markers are called CEA and CA 15-3.

Researchers from India studied 84 breast cancer patients. Some were not treated. Others were on 10 mg tamoxifen twice a day. And some of those on the drug also received a daily supplement of 100 mg CoQ10, 10 mg riboflavin and 50 mg niacin a day.

CEA and CA 15-3 levels were elevated in untreated breast cancer patients. Their tumor marker levels dropped with more than one year of drug therapy. But patients supplemented with CoQ10, riboflavin and niacin for 90 days also had significantly reduced marker levels.

I am not sure why the scientists chose these three particular supplements in these particular dosages to add to the drug regimen. The important point is that there appears to be nutritional factors that could reduce the risk for recurrence. Women on tamoxifen should ask their doctors about vitamin supplements.

[ Ray Sahelian, M.D., is a practicing physician and best-selling author. He is a leading authority on natural supplements and nutrition. For the latest research on organic ways to improve your health and well-being, click here.]

Spot the Mobile Phone Tower

Mobile phone towers are the backbone of modern communication. After all, where would we be without our mobiles? But that doesn't mean the towers are pleasant to look at. And, in fact, many companies have run into zoning problems and have had to camouflage these eyesores in a variety of ways to minimize their intrusion on the landscape. Think of the very tall palm trees on the way to Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast!

On your travels, see if you can spot them masquerading as flagpoles, cactus, water towers, pine trees, palm trees, billboards, and fake boulders. They are also showing up as church crosses, and are actually being built into church spires. Some companies are even building "free" spires for churches if they are allowed to put their cell towers there.

(Source: National Geographic)