Reducing the Side Effects of Chemotherapy

 

 

The side effects of the powerful drugs used for cancer chemotherapy are sometimes so severe that patients have to reduce their dosages or even stop treatment.

A few years ago, Dr. Yung-Chi “Tommy” Cheng and Dr. Edward Chu were trying to find a way to relieve the nausea, vomiting and diarrhea associated with the chemotherapy used to treat colon cancer. Dr. Cheng searched through Chinese literature and found a mixture of herbs for treating gastrointestinal distress that was first used 1700 years ago.

A capsule form called PHY906 was developed and Dr. Chu tested it in combination with chemotherapy in 17 patients with advanced colon cancer. After just the first three patients, the difference was remarkable: those taking PHY906 had less nausea, vomiting and diarrhea than those who weren’t taking it.

PHY906 is currently being studied in larger clinical trials for colon and pancreatic cancer, with the hope that it’s benefits will one day be available to many cancer patients.