Protective Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Cancer-Related Complications
Nutrients 2019, 11(5), 945; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11050945
Raquel D. S. Freitas 1,2 and Maria M. Campos 1,2,3,*
Items in both categories Cancer – after diagnosis and Omega-3 are listed here:
- Colorectal Cancer treatment aided by omega-3 plus weekly Vitamin D – RCT Sept 2019
- Omega-3 reduced by 4X the interruption of Cervical Cancer chemotherapy due to toxicity – RCT June 2019
- Omega-3 reduces side effects of Cancer treatments – April 2019
- Cisplatin chemotherapy dose size might be reduced by Omega-3 – Jan 2018
Items in both categories Cancer – Breast and Omega-3 are listed here:
- Omega-3 Reduces risk of Breast Cancer - many studies
- Breast Cancer reduced 20 percent by fish (Omega-3) – meta-analysis Feb 2019
- Breast Cancer rate reduced by 40 percent with Omega-3 – meta-analysis June 2013
- Breast cancer and Omega-3 – perhaps prevention and augment treatment – Aug 2017
- Breast cancer cells killed synergistically by Vitamin D plus Omega-3 (lab) – June 2017
Omega-3 also PREVENTS some Cancers, thus eliminating the need for treatment
- Low-Grade Prostate Cancer 70 percent less likely to progress if good level of Omega-3 – June 2018
- Omega-3 prevents and treats several cancers – Sept 2017
- Severe acute pancreatitis treated in 11 ways by Omega-3 in just 7 days – RCT April 2018
- Omega-3 should help Pancreatic Cancer in 5 ways – June 2017
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Cachexia (Weakness or wasting of the body)
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are considered immunonutrients and are commonly used in the nutritional therapy of cancer patients due to their ample biological effects. Omega-3 PUFAs play essential roles in cell signaling and in the cell structure and fluidity of membranes. They participate in the resolution of inflammation and have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. Additionally, they can act as agonists of G protein-coupled receptors, namely, GPR40/FFA1 and GPR120/FFA4.
Cancer patients undergo complications, such as
- anorexia-cachexia syndrome,
- pain,
- depression, and
- paraneoplastic syndromes.
Interestingly, the 2017 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) guidelines for cancer patients only discuss the use of omega-3 PUFAs for cancer-cachexia treatment, leaving aside other cancer-related complications that could potentially be managed by omega-3 PUFA supplementation. This critical review aimed to discuss the effects and the possible underlying mechanisms of omega-3 PUFA supplementation in cancer-related complications. Data compilation in this critical review indicates that further investigation is still required to assess the factual benefits of omega-3 PUFA supplementation in cancer-associated illnesses. Nevertheless, preclinical evidence reveals that omega-3 PUFAs and their metabolites might modulate pivotal pathways underlying complications secondary to cancer, indicating that this is a promising field of knowledge to be explored.