A randomized trial of antioxidant vitamins to prevent second primary cancers in head and neck cancer patients.

Study answer

What this study found

The supplementation strategy did not improve cancer outcomes and was associated with worse cancer-free outcomes during the supplementation period. For second primary cancers in the first 3.5 years, hazard ratios were 2.42 (1.45 to 4.04) for any supplementation and 2.88 (1.56 to 5.31) for α-tocopherol alone; beyond 3.5 years, the estimates were 0.57 (0.31 to 1.07) and 0.41 (0.16 to 1.03), respectively. Cancer-free survival was also worse during supplementation, with HR 1.65 (1.21 to 2.25) for any supplementation and 1.86 (1.27 to 2.72) for α-tocopherol alone. The authors concluded that…

Study & population

Randomized, multicenter trial in adults 18 years or older with stage I or II head and neck squamous cell carcinoma receiving radiation therapy in Quebec, Canada.

Intervention

Oral dl-α-tocopherol 400 IU daily was given during radiation therapy and continued for 3 years afterward.

Key limitation

Interpretation is limited by the trial population being restricted to early-stage head and neck cancer patients treated with radiation therapy, which limits generalizability.

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Original abstract