Breast cancer

Studies that used CoQ10 supplements in conjunction with Vitamins C, E, and Selenium suggest that this combination of powerful antioxidants may actually shrink tumors, reduce pain, and could even induce partial remission in some patients.

In 1993, 32 patients with advanced, "high risk" breast cancer were treated in Copenhagen with Coenzyme Q10. Also known as CoQ10 or ubiquinone, this is generally classified as a "quasi" or "non-essential" nutrient. Each patients was given antioxidants, fatty acids, as well as 90 mg of CoQ10 per day.

Six of these 32 patients showed partial tumor regressions on this regimen—slightly better than one-fourth of the women. One of these six, a 59-year-old woman identified as "K.M." in the report, then increased her dosage of CoQ10 to 390 mg per day in October, 1993. Remarkably, by November, 1993, doctors wrote, "the tumor was no longer palpable and in December of last year, mammography confirmed the absence of tumor."

Encouraged by this, a 74-year old woman identified as "K.B." began taking 300 mg CoQ10 daily on October 12, 1993. On January 25, 1994 a clinical examination revealed no evidence of the prior residual tumor, nor of distant metastases. Since February, 1994, they wrote, she has continued on the treatment. After three months, the Danish doctors reported: "The patient was in excellent clinical condition and there was no residual tumor tissue."

This could represent an important advance in the treatment of breast cancer, especially when it is combined with other non-toxic approaches, such as food supplements. As the authors themselves point out, "breast cancer caused about 180,000 deaths in 1993 [46,000 in the U.S., ed.], more than that of any other category of cancer. Even if the lives of only one out of five breast cases were saved by CoQ10 that would be about 36,000 women and mothers."

Dr. Knud Lockwood, lead author of the study, notes that he has treated around 200 cases of breast cancer per year for the last 35 years. He has "never seen a spontaneous complete regression of a 1.5 to 2.0 centimeter breast tumor or a comparable regression on any conventional antitumor therapy."

These findings could have relevance for tumors other than those of the breast. In 1993, Dr. Karl Folkers, of the Institute for Biomedical Research, University of Texas, Austin showed that patients with lung, colon, and prostate cancer also experienced extended survival when taking the co-enzyme. That is because it is found in almost every living cell (hence the "ubiquitous" name),

especially in the cells' energy factories, or mitochondria. CoQ10 is needed for the mitochondria to perform their job of oxidation, and as such, is essential for life. Many conventional doctors consider CoQ10 supplements a waste of time and money, even for cancer patients.