Probiotics reduced diarrhea incidence in colorectal cancer chemotherapy trials
Pooled trials reported less diarrhea with probiotics than with controls. An inconsistent diarrhea-duration estimate prevents a reliable interpretation of that separate outcome.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
For colorectal cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, pooled randomized trial results showed less diarrhea with probiotics than with controls. Several other gastrointestinal symptoms reportedly improved, while enteritis and listed laboratory markers showed no statistically clear differences. The abstract cannot reliably quantify diarrhea duration or identify which probiotic products accounted for the reported effects.
The duration result is labeled as a negative risk ratio, with an interval inconsistent with the claimed significance. Probiotic product details, follow-up length and adverse-event results are absent from the abstract.
What researchers found
Diarrhea incidence following chemotherapy
Probiotics versus controls: risk ratio 0.51; 95% confidence interval 0.40–0.64. Follow-up length was not reported.
Reading the relative comparison
The risk ratio describes diarrhea incidence in the probiotic groups relative to the control groups. It does not tell us how many patients avoided diarrhea. Absolute event rates are not supplied in the abstract.
Other outcomes need separate interpretation
Bloating, nausea or vomiting, appetite loss and abdominal pain reportedly improved. Enteritis and the listed laboratory markers showed no significant differences, which does not establish equivalence. The inconsistent duration estimate leaves episode length unresolved.
The original publication
Efficacy and safety of probiotics in preventing chemotherapy-related diarrhea in patients with colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis based on 18 randomized trials.
Yang M, Wang L, Luo C et al.
Medicine (Baltimore) · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40629588
- Record checked
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