Zinc Supplementation Prevents the Complications of COVID-19 Infection in Cancer Patients

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Care
• Main Author: Samir Derouiche
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention 2020-07-01
• Subjects: covid-19, cancer diseases, zinc supplementation, immune system
• Online Access: http://www.waocp.com/journal/index.php/apjcc/article/view/399

Novel coronavirus” SARS-CoV-2 is rapidly spreading worldwide with a significant mortality rate. In the crisis of COVID-19, cancer patients are seen as a very weak group and this is because of their weakened immune system and hence we aim in this research to show the importance of zinc as a buffer against cancer in COVID-19 for cancer patients. Zinc is an essential trace element that is crucial for growth, development, and the maintenance of immune function. zinc supplementation decreased and generation of inflammatory cytokines. zinc supplementation should have beneficial effects on cancer by decreasing oxidative stress, angiogenesis and induction of inflammatory cytokines while increasing apoptosis in cancer cells. zinc supplementation implemented to improve the antiviral response and systemic immunity in patients with cancer diseases. With the multiple doses approved from zinc, we suggest that there be an supplement in zinc by 50 mg / day for three month with each treatment for cancer patients, in order to strengthen the immune system to prevent the serious effects of COVID19 infection.