Omega-3 fatty acids help cancer patients

Omega-3 fatty acids Omega-3 has been found to prevent weight loss in cancer patients who have undergone surgery, a new study finds. The study, from Trinity College Dublin, focused on the effect of Omega-3 on the preservation of muscle mass in patients being treated for esophageal cancer. The patients kept all of their muscle mass and found no loss in body composition.

Omega-3 is a fatty acid found in high concentration in many fish; it is considered an “essential fat” and cannot be synthesized by the body. It has been suggested that Omega-3 reduces the risk of clot formations, several diseases (including heart disease and high blood pressure) and prevents high elevations of certain fats.

According to a press release, previous research had indicated that one form of Omega-3 fat helped deter weight loss in inoperable cancer patients. The doctors felt that this information could be used to help post-op cancer patients. Esophageal cancer patients were chosen because this form of surgery typically takes a large toll on the patient, in contrast with other forms of cancer.
The doctors found that when patients took a nutritional supplement lacking Omega-3, the patients lost an average of 4 pounds of muscle mass. The dose of Omega-3 given to patients who received an enriched supplement was much higher than the dose found in foods.

The study conducted was a double-blind, randomized control study, meaning that neither the doctors nor the patients knew whether the supplement was enriched. The patients received the dose via feeding tube for the first 14 days after the surgery, then orally the following twenty one. In an associated editorial in the same journal, Dr. Michael Meguid (Professor of Surgery, State University of New York) commented that “[The] study has provided an interesting insight into how nutritional therapy can positively impact on the major stress of cancer surgery. More studies need to be done, in particular to address whether such approaches lead to more rapid recovery of quality of life, reduce complications, and improve outcomes.”

The study can be found in the journal “The Annals of Surgery.” It was lead by John V. Reynolds, a professor of surgery at Trinity College Dublin. Dr. Reynolds was accompanied by Dr. Aoife Ryan, PhD, who is now an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at New York University. Titled “Enteral Nutrition Enriched with Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) preserves lean body mass following esophageal cancer surgery: results of a double blinded randomized controlled trial,” other authors included Laura Healy, Miriam Byren, Jennifer Moore, Niamh Brannelly, Aisling McHugh, Deirdre McCormack and Philomena Flood. The trial was supported by a research grant from Abott Laboratories.

(By Will Levine, and edited by Heather Kelley)