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Are probiotics more efficacious than placebo at preventing radiotherapy-induced diarrhoea in adults with cancer
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 May 2013
Abstract
Patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy often develop diarrhoea, causing distress and hindering treatment. As probiotics have favourable effects on the gut flora, they are potentially good candidates in the prevention of radiotherapy-induced diarrhoea (RID).
The outcome of interest of this systematic review was the efficacy of probiotics in preventing RID.
Medline and Embase databases were systematically searched. Four randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were finally selected.
Three RCTs showed beneficial results, which were statistically significant. One RCT showed non-beneficial results, which were not statistically significant. The quality of the studies was mixed, and serious limitations were found.
While the indications are towards a benefit of the use of probiotics in preventing RID, more robust evidence is required in the form of well-designed RCTs.
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- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013
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