Mistletoe Extracts during the Oncological Perioperative Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• The perioperative period in cancer treatment is critical for patient outcomes.
• Mistletoe extract (ME) is explored for its potential role in oncological care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of mistletoe extract (ME) during the oncological perioperative period.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and three nonrandomized studies.
• Included studies assessed ME as adjunctive care or compared it against standard cancer treatments.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in mortality or recurrence rates were found between ME and no added therapy.
• Some studies indicated beneficial effects of ME on natural killer cells and quality of life, particularly in colorectal cancer.
• Adverse events led to ME discontinuation in some cases, but overall no significant safety concerns were detected. Risk of bias was substantial across studies.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary data suggest mistletoe extract may be encouraging for colorectal cancer patients.
• Evidence is limited by study numbers, outcome variability, and methodological weaknesses.
• Further high-quality research is essential to validate these findings.