title: [A case of stage IV rectal cancer with whom EPA oral nutritional supplements could resolve cachectic condition and promote patient compliance with cancer chemotherapy].
abstract: We report a case of a Stage IV rectal cancer patient for whom EPA oral nutritional supplements promoted treatment compliance with cancer chemotherapy by resolving a refractory cachectic condition. A 76-year-old male who developed a local re-growth of residual disease and multiple lung metastases after abdomino-perineal resection for lower rectal cancer was referred to our clinic for chemotherapy. On admission, he suffered from a loss of appetite as well as a 30% loss of usual body weight, caused by a cachectic condition with systemic inflammatory response. On starting chemotherapy, his daily diet was supplemented with EPA containing oral nutritional supplements (EPA ONS). Within 2 weeks after initiating EPA ONS treatment, the systemic inflammatory response resolved, and at the same time, body weight and the serum level of albumin increased, which allowed treatment compliance with aggressive multidrug chemotherapy. The patient gained 10 kg in body weight even after 12 months of aggressive chemotherapy, and has attained a longstanding partial remission from the disease. Although cancer cachexia is generally regarded as an end-stage irreversible pathological condition, EPA ONS may promote patient compliance with cancer chemotherapy by resolving cachectic condition, and thus may improve survival.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pharmacy, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hamamura
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakaya
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Mitsukazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Chikao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002100:Cachexia / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid