Multivitamins do Not Improve Radiation Therapy Related Fatigue
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2006-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Multivitamins (MVi) are broadly used by cancer patients to improve overall health and energy.
Fatigue is a common symptom in cancer patients including those receiving radiation therapy.
We conducted a trial of MVi versus placebo in patients with breast cancer (BC) undergoing
radiation therapy (Rxt) to evaluate if MVi would affect fatigue and quality of life. We
randomized patients at the beginning of Rxt treatment to either placebo or Centrum Silver®
(Wyeth-Whitehall laboratory). At the middle of the radiation treatments patients were
switched from placebo to MVi and vice versa. Patients answered to the EORTC QLQ C-30 quality
of life (QOL) and Chalder Fatigue Questionnaires at the beginning, the time of switching and
at the end of Rxt. We found that both groups experienced significant decreases in general and
physical fatigue at the end of the course of placebo compared to the assessment prior to this
treatment. We also observed significant improvements in functional and symptoms in the
patients on placebo. When we compared different groups of patients we also observed
significantly lower rates of physical and general fatigue in the patients who had just
finished a course of placebo as compared to patients finishing course of MVi. We conclude
that MVi do not improve radiation related fatigue, and may in fact have a deleterious effect
on fatigue and decrease QOL in patients with BC undergoing Rxt.