The effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the progress of cachexia in patients with pancreatic cancer

doi:10.1016/0899-9007(95)00078-X

Nutrition

Volume 12, Issue 1, Supplement, January 1996, Pages S27-S30

https://doi.org/10.1016/0899-9007(95)00078-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Cachexia is common in patients with pancreatic cancer and has been associated with persistent activation of the hepatic acute phase response and increased energy expenditure. Fatty acids have been shown to have anticachectic effects in animal models and to reduce inflammatory mediators in healthy subjects and patients with chronic inflammatory disease. Eighteen patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer received dietary supplementation orally with fish oil capsules (1 g each) containing eicosapentaenoic acid 18% and docosahexaenoic acid 1296. Anthropometric measurement, body composition analysis, and measurement of resting energy expenditure and serum C-reactive protein were performed before and after supplementation with a median of 12 g/day of fish oil. Patients had a median weight loss of 2.9 kg/month (IQR 2-4.6) prior to supplementation. At a median of 3 months after commencement of fish oil supplementation, patients had a median weight gain of 0.3 kg/month (IQR 0–0.5) (p < 0.002). Changes in weight were accompanied by a temporary but significant reduction in acute phase protein production (p < 0.002) and by stabilisation of resting energy expenditure. This study suggests a component fish oil, perhaps EPA, merits further investigation in the treatment of cancer cachexia.

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Citation Excerpt :
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The effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the progress of cachexia in patients with pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Clin Nutr

Biochem Pharmacol

Lancet

Cancer of the pancreas

Curr Opin Gastroenterol

Differential killing of human carcinoma cells by n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids

J Nat Canc Inst

Effect of eicosapentenoic acid and other fatty acids on the growth in vitro of human pancreatic cancer cell lines

Br J Cancer

Inhibition of weight loss by ω-3 fatty acids in an experimental cachexia model

Cancer Res

Anticachectic and antitumour effect of eicosapentaenoic acid and its effect on protein turnover

Cancer Res

Cytokines, the acute phase response and energy expenditure in weight-losing patients with pancreatic cancer

Ann Surg

The acute phase response and survival duration in pancreatic cancer

Cancer

Human pancreatic cancer cells stimulate CRP production by hepatocytes via IL-6 or IL-8

Br J Surg

The effect of dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the synthesis of interleukin-1 and tumour necrosis factor by mononuclear cells

N Eng J Med