A study published in the American National Cancer Institute's journal showed that women should avoid taking antioxidant supplements during radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Antioxidant molecules represent in several vegetable foods function as prevention of many chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer or cardiovascular diseases, as well as several type of cancers. This protection neutralizes the adverse effects associated with free radicals, which create extremely reactive molecules from the oxygen. Free radicals attack many components of the cell, especially DNA. Antioxidants associated with the diet modify these free radicals into inoffensive products and reduce their adverse effects.

Vegetable antioxidants have beneficial effects. A blooming market was introduced by many supplement containing these molecules in high concentration. However, unlike the multitude of study on vegetables as functional foods, numerous documented over the last 20 years, do not show evidence that supplements have benefits on breast cancer except for vitamin D in winter. Furthermore, the inverse was observed with vitamin A and E.

Supplements are particular popular among cancer patients since they are more inclined to try multiple combination of remedies to fight their disease and reduce the effectiveness of the cancer treatment. While the neutralization of free radical prevent cancer, many treatments like radiotherapy and several chemotherapy drugs depends on generating free radicals.

For example, among breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy, the intake of a vitamin E supplement during radiotherapy, and during the next 3 years, increase the risk of a cancer relapse by almost 40%. The supplement in large doses negate the radiotherapy or chemotherapy and help protect the cancer cells which then increases a resistance to treatments.

The Worlds Cancer Research Fund strongly discourages diet supplements during and after treatments. The priority is to carry their oncologist's recommendation on the best treatments to fight breast cancer. In order to maximize the positive impact of the treatment the following principle was issued by the Worlds Cancer Research Fund.

1. Maintain a healthy weight
2. Exercise 30 minutes per day
3. Don't smoke
4. Avoid manufactured foods rich in saturated fats, trans fats and lot of sugar
5. Eat 5 to 10 part of fruits and vegetables



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