Opening the dialogue: Herbal supplementation and chemotherapy.

Presently, healthcare providers have little scientific evidence on which to base recommendations about use of herbal supplements with chemotherapy. Lack of product standardization and definitive knowledge about herb interaction with chemotherapy may expose patients with cancer to potentially serious side effects. Patients continue to use herbal supplements with their cancer treatments, often without informing their healthcare providers. Research currently is ongoing to study the effects of the concomitant administration of herbal supplements and chemotherapy.