What do systematic reviews say?

Probiotics vs placebo

Probiotics showed no clear difference in diarrhoea grade 2 or higher compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.75 [0.55, 1.03]
  4 studies · 420 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs placebo

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 793 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs other active intervention

Probiotics may leads to lower severity of diarrhoea: grade 3 or higher compared with other active treatment (low certainty).

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.38 [0.16, 0.89]
  1 study · 148 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs placebo

Probiotics showed no clear difference in diarrhoea grade 2 or higher compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.67 [0.22, 2.05]
  1 study · 46 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs placebo

Probiotics showed no clear difference in diarrhoea grade 3 or higher compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.11 [0.01, 1.95]
  1 study · 46 participants
  Low