Background Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a common antioxidant supplement with known cardioprotective effects and potential anticancer benefits. Objective We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of oral CoQ10 in female breast cancer patients with the primary objective of determining CoQ10's effects on self-reported fatigue, depression, and quality of life (QOL). Methods Eligible women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and planned adjuvant chemotherapy were randomized to oral supplements of 300-mg CoQ10 or placebo, each combined with 300-IU vitamin E, divided into 3 daily doses. Treatment was continued for 24 weeks. Blood tests, quality of life (QOL) measures, and levels of plasma CoQ10 and vitamin E were obtained at baseline and at 8, 16, and 24 weeks. Mixed-effects models were used to assess treatment differences in outcomes over time. Results Between September 2004 and March 2009, 236 women were enrolled. Treatment arms were well balanced with respect to age (range, 28 to 85 years), pathologic stage (stage 0, 91%; stage I, 8%; stage II, 1%), ethnicity (white, 87%; black, 11%; Hispanic, 2%), and planned therapy. Baseline CoQ10 levels in the CoQ10 and placebo arms were 0.70 μg/mL and 0.73 μg/mL, respectively; the 24-week CoQ10 levels were 1.83 μg/mL and 0.79 μg/mL, respectively. There were no significant differences between the CoQ10 and placebo arms at 24 weeks for scores on the Profile of Mood States–Fatigue (POMS-F) questionnaire (least squares means, 7.08 vs 8.24; P = .257), the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F) tool (37.6 vs 37.6; P = .965), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast Cancer (FACT-B) instrument (111.9 vs 110.4; P = .577), or the Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression (CES-D) scale (11.6 vs 12.3; P = .632). Conclusions Supplementation with conventional doses of CoQ10 led to sustained increases in plasma CoQ10 levels, but did not result in improved self-reported fatigue or QOL after 24 weeks of treatment.

Interferon-α-2b (IFN) has been demonstrated to prolong remission duration and survival in responding multiple myeloma (MM) patients. The aim of this study was to intensify maintenance therapy adding glucocorticoids (GLU) to the standard IFN therapy. Twenty-eight relapsed MMs with stable disease or response after conventional chemotherapy received IFN + GLU. The treatment included 3 megaunits of IFN 3 times a week continuously until relapse, plus 4 days pulsed high-dose dexamethasone (40 mg/day for 4 days every 28 days for 6 consecutive months every 12 months) in patients < 70 years, or oral prednisone (PDN, 50 mg 3 times a week) in patients > 70 years, both until relapse. Conventional chemotherapy induced a response in 12/28 MMs. For all patients the actuarial median progression-free survival from relapse was 24 months and the survival from relapse 42 months with no difference between responding and nonresponding patients. The first duration of tumor control, i.e. the interval from diagnosis to first relapse, was shorter than the period between first and second relapse in 11/28 patients (40%). Toxicity was mild and oral PDN significantly increased the subjective tolerability of IFN. These findings indicate that IFN + GLU after induction chemotherapy may prolong the duration of tumor control in relapsed MM.

Interferon‐α‐2b has been demonstrated to prolong remission duration and survival in responding multiple myeloma patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate intensification of this maintenance therapy through the addition of glucocorticoids. Eighteen myeloma patients at diagnosis received six‐12 courses of conventional chemotherapy and then interferon + glucocorticoids. This treatment included 3 megaunits of interferon three times a week, plus 4 days of pulsed high‐dose dexamethasone (40 mg/d for 4 d every 28 d for 6 months/year) in patients < 70 yr old, or oral prednisone (50 mg three times a wk) in patients > 70 yr old. Conventional chemotherapy induced an objective response in 13/18 patients and a further reduction of the M component (> 50%) was achieved during interferon + glucocorticoids treatment in 7/13. 4/18 patients relapsed with a median follow‐up of 22 months (range 13–40). These findings indicate that interferon + glucocorticoids, after inductional chemotherapy, further reduces tumor burden and may prolong remission.