Tier 2 — strong

Can acetylcysteine ameliorate cisplatin-induced toxicities and oxidative stress without decreasing antitumor efficacy? A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving patients with head and neck cancer

Marília B Visacri, Júlia C F Quintanilha, Vanessa M de Sousa, Laís S Amaral, Rosiane de F L Ambrósio, Luciane Calonga, Silvia F B B Curi, Mayra F de T Leme, Carlos T Chone, João M C Altemani, Priscila G Mazzola, Carina Malaguti, Aníbal E Vercesi, Carmen S P Lima, Patricia Moriel
Cancer Med 2019 8(5):2020-2030

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 30977273
PubMed Central
PMC6536930
DOI
10.1002/cam4.2072
Funding
Funding disclosure was not located in the indexed record reviewed; consult the source publication for the full funding statement.
Competing interests
Competing-interest disclosure was not located in the indexed record reviewed; consult the source publication for the full declaration.

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
ModelHuman
Sample57 patients with head and neck cancer
InterventionOral NAC around high-dose cisplatin chemotherapy versus placebo
DurationDuring cisplatin treatment cycles
EndpointsCisplatin toxicities; Oxidative stress; Tumor response

What the study showed, in plain terms

Direct clinical test of NAC during cytotoxic cancer treatment, relevant to concerns that antioxidants could alter treatment effects.

Key findings

NAC did not clearly improve the major measured toxicities and did not show an obvious reduction in antitumor response in this small trial.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Small oncology trial and one chemotherapy setting; insufficient to declare NAC universally safe with all cancer therapies.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology