You should always ask your doctor. But be aware than many don't know much about nutrients. You may be lucky if yours does.

I recall an oncologist who came in with his wife one day, and I was suggesting things to help her. She was pleased and introduced us. Turns out HE was asking ME about nutrients.

Over the years I have had breast cancer patients do well on flaxoil to protect during chemo. But once a doctor told a gal online never to use that! So where the truth lies, is often murky!

Basically chemo attacks the mitochondria of normal cells. There are studies showing acetyl carnitine can be protective before and during chemo.
Here is a recent paper 2009 on protecting kidneys during chemo:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...m&ordinalpos=1

Sending good thoughts for your son! Sounds like he is getting similar chemo to my husband.

We ALWAYS talk to the doctors before taking anything before, during, or after treatments. Our doctors strongly suggested to stop taking antioxidants during chemo and radiation, so we did follow that advice. My husband took milk thistle to protect his liver during all treatments and the doctors were fine with that.

Prior to starting treatment we were told that there was a chance of nerve damage, but we weren't told that there was anything preventative to try. If we had it to do over I would have had my husband taking glutamine during his chemo. You can Google to find the studies that have been done then talk to your doctor about dosage.

If your son is not already doing B12 injections, I would talk to your doctor about that as well. We learned that my husband doesn't absorb certain vitamins since his digestive tract surgeries, so injections are needed. B12 could be protective for nerves during chemo.

Hubby now takes a liquid B vitamin mix each day hoping he absorbs some B1 and B6, which should help nerves heal. This was a suggestion from his GI doc. Talk to your doctor but I think that should be fine during chemo.

Studies with calcium and magnesium have shown that they might prevent/lessen CIPN when taken during treatment. I don't have specifics on timing and dosages but I wish we had tried them as well.

My husband is now 6 months post last chemo treatment (scans last week were still clear!) and his CIPN is MUCH MUCH better -- mostly annoying at night, sometimes painful on cold days. He no longer drops everything, he can write again, no longer falling in shower and such, and can finally button his own shirts.

He is taking 60 mg of Cymbalta each night and a small dose of oxycodone at bedtime. The antiseizure meds and other antidepressants didn't impact his CIPN, but they do work for some folks so it is worth trying different meds.

He took glutamine for while after chemo but stopped as his CIPN improved significantly and, happily, it hasn't worsened. He soaks in Epsom salt bath if the pain gets bad, or he will just soak his hands/feet in a warm bowl of Epsom salted water. That seems to provide immediate relief. Cold weather is not his friend right now!

He also took ALA post-treatment, but I can't remember the specifics on dosage nor the length of time he took it.

Another quick relief on chilly days are the small heat packs one can buy for hands and feet. Especially at night, the foot ones provide enough relief that he can sleep better. He uses them between socks and his slippers or between two pairs of socks -- not directly against bare skin.