Effect of n-3 fatty acids on patients with advanced lung cancer: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: PUFAs from fish oil appear to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects and improve nutritional status in cancer patients. Objective: the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on inflammatory condition, oxidative and nutritional status in patients with lung cancer. Design: in our multicentre, randomised, double blind trial, 33 patients with a diagnosis of advanced inoperable non small cell lung cancer and undergoing chemotherapy were divided into two groups, receiving 4 capsules/day containing 510 mg of EPA and 340 mg of DHA, or 850 mg of placebo, for 66 days. At the start of chemotherapy (T0), after 8 days (T1), 22 days (T2), and 66 days (T3), biochemical (inflammatory and oxidative status parameters) and anthropometric parameters were measured in both groups. Results: a significant increase of body weight in the n-3 group at T3 versus T0 was observed. Concerning inflammation, C-reactive protein and IL-6 levels differed significantly between the n-3 and placebo groups at T3, and progressively decreased during chemotherapy in the n-3 group, evidencing n-3 PUFAs’ anti-inflammatory action. Concerning oxidative status, plasma reactive oxygen species levels increased in the placebo group versus the n-3 group at the later treatment times. Hydroxynonenal levels increased in the placebo group during the study, while they stabilized in the n-3 group. Conclusions: our data confirm that the continual assumption of EPA plus DHA determined an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative action which could be considered a preliminary goal in anti-cachectic therapy.