People who are diagnosed with cancer have a relatively delicate immune balance. We are not truly sure about the factors involved in the immunological cascade.
People take lots of medicines, supplements and more to enhance their immune system. This has become a multi-billion dollar business. Unfortunately, most of these have low or no benefit.
One of the exciting and intriguing things which is emerging is the role of the gut in the immune system. What we eat and what our guts produce are becoming increasingly important from an immune perspective.
Probiotics are a bad idea for patients on immunotherapy. The logic being that immune systems are created on the normal gut flora – which is amazingly diverse. Taking probiotics spoils the equilibrium in the gut. Not a good idea.
Antibiotics have the similar problem. They kill the normal gut bugs and change the dynamics of the intestinal flora. Do not take antibiotics for things like viral infections or suspected infections.
It is so humbling to know that everytime we think we have found a new and wonderful door of understanding…. it just opens another maze to tackle.