Vitamin E and Mesothelioma

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Created on Tuesday, 20 September 2011 14:13

New research taking place in various clinical trials seems to demonstrate a correlation between Vitamin E and the successful treatment of mesothelioma. 

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium, the lining of the various organs in the chest cavity.  The most common forms include pleural mesothelioma (cancer involving the lining of the lungs), peritoneal mesothelioma (cancer involving the lining of the organs of the chest or chest cavity lining) and pericardial mesothelioma (cancer involving the lining of the heart). 

As of today, there is currently no cure for mesothelioma.  The various treatments which exist, from chemotherapy, to surgery, to radiation therapy, are palliative attempts at treatment, and while some may live for a period without the disease, it usually returns.  Recent research, however, has indicated that adding Vitamin E as part of a holistic therapy can improve treatment results and quality of life.  Clinicians have surmised that Vitamin E may be important in achieving the targeted cell death (apoptosis) of mesothelioma cells. 

The initial discovery of the benefit of Vitamin E was reported in the International Journal of Cancer.  (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.20062/pdf) These findings have been verified with new studies that have recently been published.  Though not a cure, several of the researchers believe that Vitamin E may play a role in increasing the survivability rate of those suffering from mesothelioma.  Modification to any treatment should only be made with the consultation of a treating physician, however, and those suffering from this disease should talk to their doctors before making any changes.  Though most clinicians agree that Vitamin E is not a panacea, the promising effects certainly call for more study to ascertain the benefits associated with use.

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