R. Murphy, E. Yeung, V. Mazurak
Oct 4, 2011
Citations
6
Influential Citations
98
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
British Journal of Cancer
Abstract
Cancer cachexia is characterised by a progressive loss of muscle, resulting in functional impairment and shorter survival. Eicosapentaenoic acid, an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in fish, has been studied for its role as an anti-cachexia therapy. Initial results of eicosapentaenoic supplementation in advanced cancer were promising with improvements in lean body mass (LBM), appetite and quality of life. However, subsequent larger phase III clinical trials reported minimal benefits of supplementation. Recently, several studies have used different study designs, which may provide insight on the effectiveness of eicosapentaenoic in cancer cachexia and also on potential sources of divergent results in previous trials. This review examines the potential benefit of eicosapentaenoic supplementation on LBM and discusses limitations with current studies to identify methods which may aid in progressing the research of future clinical trials.