Carotenoids in Palliative Care—Is There Any Benefit from Carotenoid Supplementation in the Adjuvant Treatment of Cancer-Related Symptoms?

Carotenoids are organic, liposoluble pigments found in nature, which are responsible for the characteristic colors of ripe tomatoes, carrots, peppers, and crustaceans, among others. Palliative care provided to patients with an incurable disease is aimed at improving the patient’s quality of life thr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nutrients 2022-08, Vol.14 (15), p.3183
Main Authors: Zasowska-Nowak, Anna, Nowak, Piotr Jan, Cialkowska-Rysz, Aleksandra
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjuvants
Analgesics
Antidepressants
Antioxidants
Cachexia
cancer cachexia
Cancer therapies
cancer-related fatigue
Carotenoids
Cell cycle
Chronic illnesses
Crustaceans
Cytokines
Disease
Fruits
Health services
Herbal medicine
Inflammation
Medical treatment
neuropathic pain
Neuroprotection
Oxidative stress
Pain
Palliation
Palliative care
Pathogenesis
Patients
Peppers
Pigments
Plasma
Quality of life
Review
Signs and symptoms
Spinal cord
Tomatoes
Tumor necrosis factor-TNF
Vegetables
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Summary:Carotenoids are organic, liposoluble pigments found in nature, which are responsible for the characteristic colors of ripe tomatoes, carrots, peppers, and crustaceans, among others. Palliative care provided to patients with an incurable disease is aimed at improving the patient’s quality of life through appropriate treatment of symptoms accompanying the disease. Palliative care patients with burdensome symptoms related to advanced-stage cancers are especially interested in the use of natural dietary supplements and herbal remedies to reduce symptoms’ intensity and ameliorate the quality of life. Carotenoids seem to be a group of natural compounds with particularly promising properties in relieving symptoms, mainly due to their strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Moreover, carotenoids have been used in folk medicine to treat various diseases and alleviate the accompanying symptoms. In this narrative review, the authors decided to determine whether there is any scientific evidence supporting the rationale for carotenoid supplementation in advanced-stage cancer patients, with particular emphasis on the adjuvant treatment of cancer-related symptoms, such as neuropathic pain and cancer-related cachexia.
ISSN:2072-6643
2072-6643
DOI:10.3390/nu14153183