Dietary supplementation with n-3-fatty acids in patients with pancreatic cancer and cachexia: marine phospholipids versus fish oil - a randomized controlled double-blind trial
Werner K, Küllenberg de Gaudry D, Taylor LA, Keck T, Unger C, Hopt UT, Massing U
Lipids in health and disease · 62 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
- Nonprofit
- Verein zur Förderung der Krebsmedizin - Kirstins Weg e.V.
- Grants
- Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (0315477B)
Based on 2 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2017-06-02 · Lipids Health Dis · vol. 16 · issue 1 · p. 104
- Publisher
- BioMed Central
- Cited
- 85 citations · more than 96% of similar papers · 4.5× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 46 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Fatty Acid Research and Health · Nutrition and Health in Aging · Clinical Nutrition and Gastroenterology
- Keywords
- Fish oil, Pancreatic cancer, Medicine, Randomized controlled trial, Weight loss, Internal medicine, Gastroenterology, Clinical nutrition, Cancer, Quality of life (healthcare), Cachexia, Appetite, Obesity, Biology
- MeSH
- humans, pancreatic neoplasms, body weight, cachexia, dietary fats, unsaturated, fatty acids, omega-3, phospholipids, fish oils, double-blind method, quality of life, dietary supplements, adult, middle aged, female, male
7 authors
From DE
- Kristin Werner · correspondingUniversity of Freiburg; University Medical Center Freiburg
- Daniela Kuellenberg de GaudryUniversity of Freiburg; University Medical Center Freiburg
- Lenka A. TaylorHeidelberg University; University Medical Center Freiburg
- Tobias KeckUniversity of Lübeck
- Clemens UngerUniversity Medical Center Freiburg
- Ulrich Theodor HoptUniversity of Freiburg; University Medical Center Freiburg
Abstract
Background
Like many other cancer patients, most pancreatic carcinoma patients suffer from severe weight loss. As shown in numerous studies with fish oil (FO) supplementation, a minimum daily intake of 1.5 g n-3-fatty acids (n-3-FA) contributes to weight stabilization and improvement of quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. Given n-3-FA not as triglycerides (FO), but mainly bound to marine phospholipids (MPL), weight stabilization and improvement of QoL has already been seen at much lower doses of n-3-FA (0,3 g), and MPL were much better tolerated. The objective of this double-blind randomized controlled trial was to compare low dose MPL and FO formulations, which had the same n-3-FA amount and composition, on weight and appetite stabilization, global health enhancement (QoL), and plasma FA-profiles in patients suffering from pancreatic cancer.
Methods
Sixty pancreatic cancer patients were included into the study and randomized to take either FO- or MPL supplementation. Patients were treated with 0.3 g of n-3-fatty acids per day over six weeks. Since the n-3-FA content of FO is usually higher than that of MPL, FO was diluted with 40% of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) to achieve the same capsule size in both intervention groups and therefore assure blinding. Routine blood parameters, lipid profiles, body weight, and appetite were measured before and after intervention. Patient compliance was assessed through a patient diary. Quality of life and nutritional habits were assessed with validated questionnaires (EORTC-QLQ-C30, PAN26). Thirty one patients finalized the study protocol and were analyzed (per-protocol-analysis).
Results
Intervention with low dose n-3-FAs, either as FO or MPL supplementation, resulted in similar and promising weight and appetite stabilization in pancreatic cancer patients. MPL capsules were slightly better tolerated and showed fewer side effects, when compared to FO supplementation.
Conclusion
The similar effects between both interventions were unexpected but reliable, since the MPL and FO formulations caused identical increases of n-3-FAs in plasma lipids of included patients after supplementation. The effects of FO with very low n-3-FA content might be explained by the addition of MCT. The results of this study suggest the need for further investigations of marine phospholipids for the improvement of QoL of cancer patients, optionally in combination with MCT.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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