title: Historical perspective and potential use of n-3 fatty acids in therapy of cancer cachexia.
abstract: A review of the current status of research on n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic, indicates that these fatty acids exhibit protective effects on: (i) the development of carcinogen-induced tumors, the growth of solid tumors, cachexia, and metastatic diseases in experimental models; and (ii) accelerated proliferation of flat human rectal mucosal epithelial cells in individuals at risk for colon cancer, and two biomarkers of risk for breast cancer--leukocyte adenosine diphosphate ribosyl transferase activity and 16-alphahydroxylated estrogen--in women at risk for breast cancer. These research findings, along with epidemiological evidence of an inverse relationship between n-3 fatty acid intake and incidence of some cancers, warrant clinical investigation in the potential benefit of n-3 fatty acids in the prevention and therapy of cachexia in cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Bryan Cave, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Karmali
mesh_terms: D002100:Cachexia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid