title: The effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on incidence and severity of oxaliplatin induced peripheral neuropathy: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxaliplatin induced peripheral neurotoxicity (OXIPN) is the major dose-limiting and long-lasting side effect of oxaliplatin. N-3 PUFAs have neuroprotective property via their effects on voltage-gated ion channels and by reducing the production of proinflammatory cytokines that causes neuropathy. This study was a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial to find the possible advantages of n-3 PUFAs for preventing and reducing the severity of OXIPN in patients with colon cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible patients with colon cancer randomly allocated to take n-3 PUFAs pearls, 640 mg t.i.d during chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and one month after the cessation of the treatment or placebo. All patients were evaluated for incidence and severity of OXIPN based on "reduced Total Neuropathy Score" in which clinical and electrophysiological assessments were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients (47 %) of the n-3 PUFA supplemented group (n = 36) did not develop PN while it was 11 %(4 patients) in the placebo group (n = 35). There was a significant difference in PN incidence (OR = 0.14, .95 % CI = (0.04 to 0.49), p = 0.002). The difference of OXIPN severity was significant between the two study groups (B = -1.61, 0.95 % CI = (-2.59 to -0.62), p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  N-3 PUFAs may have neuroprotective effect for reducing the incidence and severity of OXIPN. Finding an effective prophylactic or symptomatic therapy for OXIPN would significantly improve the patients' quality of life.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  IRCT201112158397N2.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology, Liver & Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esfahani
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology, Liver & Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Somi
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hormoz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ayromlou
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikanfar
authors.affiliation: Tabriz Health Services Management Research Center and Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Asghari
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jafarabadi
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Bina Eftekhar
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Sadat
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ghoreishi
keywords: Colon cancer; Neuropathy; Oxaliplatin; n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids