The Effectiveness of Yogurt+ Probiotic on Chemotherapy-Related Diarrhea in Patients with Colorectal Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Chemotherapy-related diarrhea reduces patients' quality of life and sometimes changes or interrupts their treatment regimen. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of yogurt with probiotics on diarrhea caused by chemotherapy.Method: The present study was a randomized controlled clinical trial. The sample consisted of 66 patients with colorectal cancer, recruited with convenience sampling method from patients who were referred to Buali Hospital of Tehran. The samples were randomly divided into three groups. The first group received yogurt with probiotics, the second group received yogurt alone, and the third group of control did not use yogurt during treatment. Data were gathered using the diarrhea section of adverse events. The number of defecations, the severity of diarrhea, and the consistency of stool in the seven days of the intervention were compared among the three groups. Analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were performed through SPSS software.Results: The number of defecations in the yogurt group with probiotics and yogurt was significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05). The severity of diarrhea in the yogurt group with probiotics decreased more rapidly (P < 0.05). Stool consistency in the yogurt group with probiotics was significantly better than the control group (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, yogurt with probiotics can reduce and improve diarrhea caused by chemotherapy. The results also showed that yogurt alone can reduce diarrhea and improve its symptoms.

Keywords

• probiotics
• yogurt
• diarrhea
• chemotherapy
• cancer