title: Fish oil supplement alters markers of inflammatory and nutritional status in colorectal cancer patients.
abstract: Inflammation is a common feature in cancer. The presence and magnitude of the chronic systemic inflammatory responses may produce progressive nutritional decline. This study aims at investigating whether there are changes in inflammation markers and/or in nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy who were supplemented with fish oil. The clinical trial was conducted with 23 patients randomly distributed in 2 groups. The supplemented group (SG) consumed 2 g of fish oil containing 600 milligrams of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for 9 wk. Nutritional and inflammatory markers status was available, both at a baseline (M0), and after 9 wk of chemotherapy (M9) in the SG and in the nonsupplemented group (NSG). Statistical analysis was conducted with STATA 11.0 software. SG and NSG presented the same baseline characteristics (P > 0.05). Nutritional status indicators such as body mass index and body weight were modified only in the NSG when comparing baseline and M9, P = 0.03 and P = 0.01 respectively, whereas in SG these indicators did not vary. Patients supplemented with fish oil (SG) showed a clinically relevant decrease in the C-reactive protein/albumin relation (P = 0.005). Low doses of fish oil supplement can positively modulate the nutritional status and the C-reative protein/albumin ratio.
authors.affiliation: Departamet of Nutrition, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana de Aguiar Pastore
authors.initials: Jde A
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Erasmo Benício Santos de Moraes
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Trindade
authors.forename: Maria Emilia de Souza
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Fabre
authors.forename: Vicente Martorano
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Menegotto
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gevaerd
authors.forename: Ziliane da Silva
authors.initials: Zda S
authors.lastname: Buss
authors.forename: Tânia Silvia
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Frode
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D005395:Fish Oils; D012709:Serum Albumin; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid