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Abstract
Traditional chemotherapies target rapidly growing cells thus affecting normal cells such as cells of the intestine, hair and skin as well as tumor cells. Toxic effects towards intestinal cells lead to diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, due to mucositis resulting from the free radicals and cytokines induced by chemotherapy. These side effects are frequently debilitating enough to require a break in chemotherapy and sometimes, discontinuation of therapy. Because even short breaks in therapy may allow a cancer to progress, finding treatments to prevent or alleviate mucositis are important. In the current issue of Cancer Biology & Therapy, Cheah and colleagues look at the ability of grape seed extracts to alleviate the effects of mucositis. Grape seed extracts are high in proanthocyanidins, which are believed to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. On the cover of this month’s issue, intestines from a rat treated with 5’FU are stained with H&E. To compare the 5’FU-treated intestines to normal intestines and to learn more about the effects of grape seed extract on mucositis, see the article by Cheah and colleagues.