Milk Thistle May Help Treat Chemotherapy Liver Damage

Milk thistle which has long been known for its ability to aid in the management of liver disorders is now being considered as a treatment for liver damage secondary to chemotherapy. Liver toxicity has long been an issue when treating cancer with chemotherapy and is particularly common in pediatric patients. The consequence being that physicians are forced to either lower patients’ doses or halt treatment altogether thus hindering treatment. A study published in ‘Cancer’ found that silbyn - a substance found within milk thistle helps to block toxins that penetrate the liver at the cellular level and cause damage.

A recent study led by Dr. Kara Kelly revealed that 50 children undergoing chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia showed a positive change in their liver enzymes as opposed to children taking a placebo. Furthermore, there were fewer incidences of the patients needing a reduction in chemotherapy doses. This breakthrough may help minimize inflammation of the liver which typically causes delays in treatment or a decrease in dosage which can make the treatment less effective.

Previous studies have focused on the use of milk thistle as a treatment for hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. This is the first study that focuses on milk thistle being used in conjunction with chemotherapy in the treatment of pediatric cancer patients.