3 questions for alternative/complementary supplements user

nnguyen

I often thought about adding supplement/complementary medicine to my wife's treatment. But always could not resolve satisfactorily answers to these three questions:

- Finding a trusted source to know what exactly are in the bottle and the amount. I avoid anything make from China or India. Unfortunately many of our generic conventional medicine are made from there.

- The possible interaction between supplements (herbs, etc) with the current conventional treatment regiments. After all these herbs/extract, etc are medicine, particularly in sufficient dosage.

- How to find out the dosage to use to make an impact.

Thanks for any thought.

Nguyen

Linda's Treatment History:
05/10/2019 – current: Eribulin, Denosumab, Neulasta, Herceptin.
08/--/2019: additional radiation to both legs femurs
03/2019 – 04/2019: radiation to hip and neck, denosumab, no other treatment, waiting for clinical trial.
02/2019 – 03/2019: no treatment, wash out period
08/2018 – 02-2019: Xeloda and Herceptin, have to reduce Xeloda dose several times
03/2018: Tumor genetic profile by Foundation One: Her2+++, Er+++, PR-, numerous amplifications, mutations
04/2018 – 08-2018: restart T-Dm1
12/2017 – 04/2018: Pertuzumab + Herceptin
03/2017 – 12/2017: Herceptin + Fulvestrant (take a break from T-Dm1)
07/2014 – 03/2017: T-Dm1
02/2014 – 06/2014: Everolimus (5mg), Exemestane, Herceptin
08/2013 – 01/2014: Femara, Herceptin
12/2012 – 07/2013: 4mg estradiol, Herceptin
08/2012 - 12/2012: Fulvestrant 500mg, exemestane, Herceptin
05/2012 - 08/2012: Everolimus (10mg), Exemestane, Herceptin, Zometa
08/2011 - 05/2012: Herceptin, Tykerb, Femara, Zometa
08/2010 - 08/2011: Herceptin, Femara, Zometa
09-2009 - 08/2010: Herceptin and estradiol (6mg)
09/2008 - 09/2009: Herceptin, Fulvestrant, Femara
03/2008 - 09/2008: Herceptin, Exemestane, Oophorectomy
01/2005 - 03/2008: Herceptin (readded) and Femara
07/2004: It returned again via several small nodules in the lung
10/2002: NED (via CT and CA27.29)!
10/2001 - 01/2005: Femara, Fosamax
12/2000 - 10/2001: Herceptin and Navelbine
12/2000: lung metastatic was diagnosed (a few small nodules)
02/1998 - 12/2000: Daily Tamoxifen
05/1997 - 04/1998: Modified Radical Mastectomy, many cycles of chemo regiments (CAF, Taxol,
Carpoplatin, Thiotepa, Navelbine, Taxotere), high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem-cells
rescue, and radiation

Anotherone

I look for info online - who says it is good , what basis they have to say it is good, what dosage was it used at in their experience, what providers do they recommend , what informations brands give about their products , at the end of the day you can ask the manufacturer to clarify precedence. I do not do very thorough research , just until I am happy . Re interference- that may be an issue. Ask oncologist, see naturopath, figure out mechanism of action and possible issues yourself.

Husband11

You are asking the right questions. I consider whether to use a supplement as a balance of 3 factors, safety, efficacy and cost.

On the subject of safety, I search out known drug interactions, Cytochrome enzyme use and inhibition, and estrogenicity. Its important to know how it is metabolized, and whether it inhibits an enzyme pathway that is needed for other drugs to be processed. As well, as breast cancer is believed to be stimulated by estrogen, its important to know whether it might have such properties.

Resources such as MSK About Herbs, PubMed, data published by the manufacturer of the drugs you want to use it alongside are all sources I use when I do this for of check work for my wife. As well, it doesn't hurt to ask your pharmacist, and the hospital prescribing the treatment may have a pharmacist that often provides opinions on such matters.

Cowgirl13

I would start with a work up with an Integrative Medicine physician.

ShetlandPony

mskcc.org is what Husband11 mentioned above. It has a section where you can look up herbs and supplements.

Foodforbreastcancer.com discusses food and supplements, and has links to scientific papers.