June 6, 2018 — Fish oil supplements may help alleviate the painful side effects of some cancer treatments, research suggests.
Two separate studies, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago, show Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce discomfort caused by certain therapies.
The benefits were seen in some breast and bowel cancer patients, with the supplement thought to reduce inflammation.
Dr Andrew Epstein, speaking as an expert for ASCO, said: “It’s adding to the evidence base that nutritionally supplemental therapies like Omega-3 may have a place in supporting patients as they go through their cancer care.”
Around half of women taking aromatase inhibitors, a common drug for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer, experience joint pain.
The hormone treatment is usually taken for between five to 10 years after surgery.
However an estimated 25% of patients stop within two years because they cannot endure the side effects, lead author Dr Sherry Shen, of the New York Presbyterian Hospital, said.
“This is a real problem, the joint pain,” she told the Press Association.
“And it’s really preventing women from taking these medications that are designed to prevent them getting a recurrence of their breast cancer.”
An analysis of a 2015 study of 249 patients found Omega-3 helped relieve symptoms among obese women taking the drug, who are more likely to experience joint pain.
Those with a BMI above 30 – around 140 patients – recorded an average “worst pain” score of seven out of 10 before taking the supplement or a placebo.