Spirulina Improves Chemotherapy Outcomes in 60 Cancer Patients

Recent studies have demonstrated functional benefits of Spirulina in the treatment and prevention of cancer. This study sought to confirm whether Spirulina can limit the side effects of chemotherapy in patients with malignant tumors.

Chemotherapy Side Effects can Interfere with Treatment

Chemotherapy is non-specific and targets not only cancer cells, but is also toxic to non-cancer cells.

Because of this toxicity, patients often experience side-effects - including myelosuppression, granulocytopenia, febrile neutropenia, thromboembolic events, and neurosensory toxicity. These can interfere with treatment, necessitating skipped chemotherapy sessions, alternative chemotherapy regimens, or even discontinuation of chemotherapy.

Myelosuppression Disrupts Treatment, Health, and Post-Chemo Quality of Life

Myelosuppression (bone marrow suppression) causes a decrease in the production of blood cells responsible for providing immunity, carrying oxygen, and those responsible for normal blood clotting.

Myelosuppression increases your risk of blood disorders like anemia, infections and bleeding issues. 

The Research

In this recent study 100 cancer patients receiving four cycles of chemotherapy were randomized into control or treatment groups.

The treated group consumed Spirulina for the first two cycles while the control group did not.

The extent of myelosuppression and immune function were assessed after each cycle of chemotherapy, and patients were monitored for myelosuppression-related adverse events throughout the study period.

Cancer Types

Cancer patients in the study included cases of colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, bladder cancer, and gallbladder carcinoma.

Roughly half the patients tumours had metastasized - this did not impact on the positive results achieved.

Results During Treatment 

• Neutrophil (a type of white blood cell that act as your immune system's first line of defense) levels were higher in the treated group after Cycle1 and Cycle2.
• Patients who received spirulina treatment had a significantly lower rate of severe myelosuppression
• Less modification of the chemotherapy regimen was necessary for spirulina treated patients

Results After Treatment 

• IgM level and number of CD8⁺ T cells increased in the treatment group but decreased in the control group
• Spirulina reduces myelosuppression and improves immune function after chemotherapy in patients with malignant tumors

Discussion

These results are in line with previous studies demonstrating the benefit of Spirulina supplementation in chemotherapy patients.

A previous study (Chen et al.) determined the effects of MB-6 (mainly composed of Spirulina) in combination with chemotherapy leucovorin/5-fluorouracil, in colorectal cancer. Patients receiving MB-6 had a significantly lower rate of disease progression compared to patients in the placebo group.

Even Better

• This research was conducted using dried spirulina

• Fresh and fresh-frozen spirulina (now becoming available in some countries) offers 20 times more antioxidants than dried spirulina

• That means you can reasonably expect better results from fresh spirulina treatment

Curated by Spiruliving Institute

Spiruliving Institute is a non-profit dedicated to building awareness of the benefits of fresh and fresh-frozen (never dried) spirulina for cancer prevention, as an alternative and/or complementary treatment, and as a functional treatment for cancer survivors to boost health and prevent cancer recurrence. We curate independent research and make it available to the public.