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Efficacy of Jackfruit365™ Green Jackfruit Flour Fortified Diet on Pegfilgrastim to Prevent Chemotherapy-induced Leukopenia, Irrespective of Tumor Type or Drugs Used - A Retrospective Study

Thomas Varughese

Chemotherapy-induced Leukopenia (CIL) is associated with increased mortality and economic burden on patients. This study was conducted to evaluate whether inclusion of green jackfruit flour 30 gms per day along with regular diet of those patients receiving chemotherapy, could prevent CIL. This is a retrospective study conducted among a group of patients undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumors at Renai Medicity Hospital, Palarivattom, Cochin, Kerala, India, since June 2018. The study group comprised of 50 consecutive subjects, who were supplemented with green jackfruit flour diet in their regular diet and further followed up prospectively. The control group was retrospective with 50 subjects prior to June 2018, with no diet supplements. Those who received less than 3 cycles were excluded from either arm. The mean age of the participants in study group and control group were 53.16±11.06 and 56.96±12.16 years respectively. 6 patients, out of 37, in the study group and 20 patients out of 50 in the control group developed CIL. They received 38 and 105 vials of filgrastim respectively. After excluding those cycles in study group patients, where green jackfruit flour was not taken in spite of advice, the mean number of cycles in which CIL developed (P=0.00) and number of vials of filgrastim taken per cycle (P=0.00) were significantly different from control group and no patient in the study group developed CIL. Inclusion of green jackfruit flour as a dietary intervention prevents chemotherapy-induced leukopenia in patients undergoing chemotherapy along with Pegfilgrastim. Avoidance of CIL improves quality of life, reduces the cost of treatment, morbidity prevents ICU stay, mortality, avoids chemotherapy dropouts, prevents postponement of chemo cycles and even the quality of life of treating doctors since management of neutropenia is avoided. When extrapolated on global scale the money saved will be in billions. This will also permit usage of highly effective drugs, whether cytotoxic or immunotherapy, which otherwise are withdrawn due to chemotoxicity, thus enhancing cure rates