Fish oil decreases the severity of treatment-related adverse events in gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Due to its high peroxidizable characteristics, n-3 fatty acids, present in fish oil, could increase tumor cells sensitivity to conventional cancer treatment while non-neoplastic cells remain unaffected, this may lead to an increase in cancer treatment response with no increase on adverse effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate anti-cancer treatment response, performance status and adverse events in gastrointestinal cancer patients supplemented with fish oil. Oxidative stress parameters were investigated in blood non-neoplastic cells as an indicator of cytotoxicity. METHODS: This is a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Fish oil group (FOG) received two capsules of fish oil containing 1.55 g of EPA + DHA a day for nine weeks, placebo group (PG) received two capsules containing olive oil. Baseline was set right before the administration of the first chemotherapy, oxidative stress parameters, adverse events presence and grading and performance status were assessed at baseline and after nine weeks of supplementation. Tumor markers, response to treatment and survival were evaluated at baseline and after one year of study inclusion. RESULTS: 76 patients were considered eligible, 56 were randomized, and 51 remained for analysis. After nine weeks, although there were no differences between groups for treatment response and presence of adverse events, PG patients were graded with more severe diarrhea than FOG patients (p = 0.03) and with higher (worse) performance status score (p = 0.02). No differences in lipid peroxidation and activity of antioxidant enzymes were observed between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Fish oil may lead to a better performance status for gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy while does not seem to increase treatment-related toxicity. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT02699047, www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Fish oil supplementation during chemotherapy increases posterior time to tumor progression in colorectal cancer.

The authors evaluated clinical outcomes during and after chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients supplemented with fish oil during the first 9 wk of treatment. Thirty individuals never submitted to chemotherapy were randomized into supplemented group (SG), which received 2 g/day of fish oil (0.6 g/day of EPA and DHA) for 9 wk or control group (CG), which received neither fish oil nor placebo. Outcomes assessed were number of chemotherapy cycles administered; days undergoing chemotherapy; number of delays and interruptions in the administration of chemotherapy; number of hospitalizations during chemotherapy; tumor progression; values of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA); days until events (death and progression); and 3 yr survival. Time to tumor progression was significantly longer in SG [S593 days (±211.5)] vs. CG [330 days (± 135.1); P = 0.04], other outcomes did not differ between groups. Subjects with advanced cancer who received fish oil presented longer time to tumor progression and lower CEA values after chemotherapy; however these differences were not statistically significant. Supplementation with 2 g/day of fish oil for the first 9 wk of chemotherapy may contribute to delay in tumor progression in colorectal patients, possibly by enhancing the antineoplastic action of the chemotherapeutic drug.

Fish oil decreases C-reactive protein/albumin ratio improving nutritional prognosis and plasma fatty acid profile in colorectal cancer patients.

Previous studies have shown that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids n-3 (n-3 PUFA) have several anticancer effects, especially attributed to their ability to modulate a variety of genomic and immune responses. In this context, this randomized, prospective, controlled clinical trial was conducted in order to check whether supplementation of 2 g/day of fish oil for 9 weeks alters the production of inflammatory markers, the plasma fatty acid profile and the nutritional status in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Eleven adults with CRC in chemotherapy were randomized into two groups: (a) supplemented (SG) daily with 2 g/day of encapsulated fish oil [providing 600 mg/day of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] for 9 weeks (n = 6), and (b) control (CG) (n = 5). All outcomes were evaluated on the day before the first chemotherapy session and 9 weeks later. Plasma TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-10 and IL-17A, the pro/anti-inflammatory balance (ratio TNF-α/IL-10 and IL-1ß/IL10) and serum albumin, showed no significant changes between times and study groups (p > 0.05). C-reactive protein (CRP) and the CRP/albumin ratio showed opposite behavior in groups, significantly reducing their values in SG (p < 0.05). Plasma proportions of EPA and DHA increased 1.8 and 1.4 times, respectively, while the ARA reduced approximately 0.6 times with the supplementation (9 weeks vs baseline, p < 0.05). Patients from SG gained 1.2 kg (median) while the CG lost -0.5 kg (median) during the 9 weeks of chemotherapy (p = 0.72). These results demonstrate that 2 g/day of fish oil for 9 weeks of chemotherapy improves CRP values, CRP/albumin status, plasma fatty acid profile and potentially prevents weight loss during treatment.

Fish oil supplement alters markers of inflammatory and nutritional status in colorectal cancer patients.

Inflammation is a common feature in cancer. The presence and magnitude of the chronic systemic inflammatory responses may produce progressive nutritional decline. This study aims at investigating whether there are changes in inflammation markers and/or in nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy who were supplemented with fish oil. The clinical trial was conducted with 23 patients randomly distributed in 2 groups. The supplemented group (SG) consumed 2 g of fish oil containing 600 milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for 9 wk. Nutritional and inflammatory markers status was available, both at a baseline (M0), and after 9 wk of chemotherapy (M9) in the SG and in the nonsupplemented group (NSG). Statistical analysis was conducted with STATA 11.0 software. SG and NSG presented the same baseline characteristics (P > 0.05). Nutritional status indicators such as body mass index and body weight were modified only in the NSG when comparing baseline and M9, P = 0.03 and P = 0.01 respectively, whereas in SG these indicators did not vary. Patients supplemented with fish oil (SG) showed a clinically relevant decrease in the C-reactive protein/albumin relation (P = 0.005). Low doses of fish oil supplement can positively modulate the nutritional status and the C-reative protein/albumin ratio.

Impacto da terapia nutricional enteral ambulatorial em pacientes oncológicos / Impact of enteral nutrition therapy in ambulatory cancer patients / Impacto de la terapia nutricional enteral ambulatoria en pacientes con cáncer

O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar o efeito da Terapia Nutricional Enteral (TNE) no estado nutricional (EN) de pacientes oncológicos. Realizou-se estudo do tipo transversal, de natureza quantitativa retrospectiva. A população estudada constituiu-se de 95 pacientes maiores de 18 anos, em uso de TNE, atendidos ambulatorialmente no período de 01/2005 a 05/2005. Foram coletados dados de estatura, peso e percentual de perda de peso (% PP), no início e após certo tempo de TNE. O EN foi verificado através da análise concomitante do IMC e do %PP. Os programas Microsoft Excel e Statistical Package for the Social Science for Windows foram utilizados para a tabulação e análise dos dados. Obteve-se dados de 95 pacientes (H:83, M:12) com média de idade de 57,28 mais ou menos 10,61 anos com neoplasias malignas de cabeça e pescoço (58,94%), esôfago (29,47), outros (11,56%). Estavam em tratamento oncológico 73,68% destes, sendo: apenas quimioterapia (11,57%), apenas radioterapia (11,57%), quimioterapía e radioterapia (26,31%), paliativo (9,47%) e 26,31% dos pacientes não tinham tratamento identificado. Receberam dieta com proteína de origem vegetal 60% dos pacientes, animal 21% e mista 18,94%. Encontrou-se % PP significativa em 10,5% dos casos avaliados e em 47,36% verificou-se manutenção ou aumento de peso. o presente estudo reafirmou a importância do uso de TNE na manutenção do EN, demonstrando sua importância como adjuvante no tratamento oncológico.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Enteral Nutrition Therapy (NET) on nutrition (EN) of cancer patients. We performed a cross-sectional study, quantitative retrospective. The study population consisted of 95 patients over 18 years, while using TNE patient clinic in the period from 01/2005 to 05/2005. Data were collected on height, weight and percentage weight loss (% PP), at baseline and after certain time of TNE. NS was determined by analyzing concurrent BMI and % PP. the Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Science for Windows were used to tabulate and analyze data. We obtained data from 95 patients (M: 83 M: 12) with a mean age of 57.28 plus or minus 10.61 years with malignant head and neck (58.94%), esophagus (29.47 ), other (11.56%). Were at 73.68% of cancer treatment, as follows: chemotherapy alone (11.57%), only radiotherapy (11.57%), quimioteraía and radiotherapy (26.31%), palliative (9.47%) and 26 31% of patients had no treatment identified. Received diets with vegetable protein 60% of patients, 21% animal and 18.94% mixed. Found % PP significantly in 10.5% of cases assessed at 47.36% and there was maintenance or weight gain. The present study reaffirmed the importance of using TNE maintenance of EN, demonstrating its importance as ajuvante in cancer treatment.

El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar el efecto de la Terapia de Nutrición Enteral (NET) en materia de nutrición (EN) de los pacientes de cáncer. Se realizó estudio transversal, retrospectivo cuantitativo. La población del estudio consistió en 95 pacientes mayores de 18 año, durante el uso de la clínica del paciente TNE en el período comprendido entre el 01/2005 al 05/2005. Se recogieron datos sobre altura, peso y porcentaje de pérdida de peso (% PP), al inicio del estudio y después de cierto tiempo de NET. NS se determinó mediante el análisis simultáneo de IMC y % PP. Microsoft Excel y Paquete Estadístico para Ciencias Sociales para Windows se utiliza para tabular y analizar datos. Se recogieron datos de 95 pacientes (M: 83 M: 12) con una edad media de 57,28 más o menos 10,61 años con la cabeza y el cuello malignos (58,94%), esófago (29.47%), otros (11,56%). Fueron a 73,68% del tratamiento del cáncer, según se indica: la quimioterapia sola (11,57%), sólo la radioterapia (11,57%), quimioteraía y radioterapia (26,31%), paliativa (9,47%) y 26 31% de los pacientes sin tratamiento identificados. Recibido dietas con proteínas vegetales 60% de los pacientes, el 21% animal y 18,94% mixtos. Se encontraron % PP significativa en el 10,5% de los casos evaluados en 47,36% y no hubo mantenimiento o aumento de peso. El presente estudio reafirma la importancia de utilizar el mantenimiento de la norma EN TNE, lo que demuestra su importancia como ajuvante en el tratamiento del cáncer.