Abstract 14P
Background
Aromatase inhibitors (AI) are gold standard for treating hormone-receptor positive breast cancer (BC) in postmenopausal women due to their effectiveness in reducing cancer recurrence and improving overall survival. However, AI cause significant side effects that can negatively impact patients' quality of life (QoL) and adherence to treatment. Since women on AI commonly have unfavorable plasma fatty acid profiles and increased inflammatory markers, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of fish oil and evening primrose oil (EPO), rich in anti-inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), on nutritional status, plasma PUFA profiles, inflammatory cytokine levels and QoL, in BC survivors on AI therapy.
Methods
This RCT included 37 postmenopausal women, aged 50-65, with ER+ BC history, who received AI therapy for at least 2 years. The intervention group was taking 2 gel capsules of fish oil and 3 gel capsules of EPO (600 mg eicosapentaenoic acid-EPA, 400 mg docosahexaenoic acid - DHA, and 351 mg gamma-linolenic acid) for 16 weeks along with AI. The control group was taking 5 gel capsules of 1g of mineral oil.
Results
Participants in the intervention group experienced improvements in body composition with a reduction in visceral fat. There was a notable decrease in IL-6 levels within the intervention group, and an increase in plasma levels of EPA, docosapentaenoic acid, DHA, total n-3 PUFA, and a decrease in n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, indicating a shift towards a more favorable anti-inflammatory PUFA profile. Further, the intervention group demonstrated enhanced QoL, increased global health status and decreased symptoms score as assessed by FACT ES, EORTC QLQ-C30 and BRC23 validated questionnaires.
Conclusions
This study highlights the multifaceted benefits of PUFA supplementation in mitigating treatment-related side effects and improving health outcomes in postmenopausal BC survivors. The observed improvements in body composition, fatty acid profiles, inflammation markers, and QoL underscore the potential of nutritional interventions to complement standard cancer therapies and enhance patient outcomes.
Clinical trial identification
NCT06214598; 22/01/2024.
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Fund of Science Republic of Serbia, Grant number AID 5050.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.