| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Cancer Research Campaign Experimental Chemotherapy Group, Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, United Kingdom
The effect of the polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 
-linolenic acid (GLA) on host body weight loss and tumor growth has been investigated in mice bearing a cachexia-inducing colon adenocarcinoma, the MAC16. EPA effectively inhibited both host weight loss and tumor growth rate in a dose-related manner with optimal effects being observed at a dose level of 1.25 to 2.5 g/kg. At these concentrations host body weight was effectively maintained, and there was a delay in the progression of growth of the tumor, such that overall survival was approximately doubled in EPA-treated animals, using the criteria dictated by the United Kingdom Coordinating Committee for the welfare of animals with neoplasms. Even when tumor growth resumed, weight loss did not occur. Animals bearing the MAC16 tumor showed a decreased protein synthesis and an increased degradation in skeletal muscle. Treatment with EPA significantly reduced protein degradation without an effect on protein synthesis.
The effect of GLA on both host body weight loss and tumor growth was much less pronounced than that of EPA, with an effect only being seen at a dose of 5 g/kg, at which some toxicity was observed. In vitro studies showed that while EPA was effective in inhibiting tumor-induced lipolysis, GLA was ineffective in this respect. However, prostaglandin E1, which is formed from GLA in vivo, showed partial reversal of tumor-induced lipolysis and probably accounted for the anticachectic effect of GLA. These results suggest that EPA as the pure fatty acid should be considered for clinical investigation as both an anticachectic and antitumor agent, since prior work has shown that the other major component of fish oil docosahexaenoic acid is without pharmacological activity in this system.
1 This work has been supported by a grant from the Cancer Research Campaign.
2 Recipient of a research studentship from the Cancer Research Campaign.
3 To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.
Received 5/17/91. Accepted 9/ 9/91.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  K. C.H. Fearon, M. D. Barber, A. G. Moses, S. H. Ahmedzai, G. S. Taylor, M. J. Tisdale, and G. D. Murray Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Study of Eicosapentaenoic Acid Diester in Patients With Cancer Cachexia J. Clin. Oncol., July 20, 2006; 24(21): 3401 - 3407. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Siddiqui, D. Pandya, K. Harvey, and G. P. Zaloga Nutrition Modulation of Cachexia/Proteolysis Nutr Clin Pract, April 1, 2006; 21(2): 155 - 167. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. H. Esper and W. A. Harb The Cancer Cachexia Syndrome: A Review of Metabolic and Clinical Manifestations Nutr Clin Pract, August 1, 2005; 20(4): 369 - 376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. Camuesco, J. Galvez, A. Nieto, M. Comalada, M. E. Rodriguez-Cabezas, A. Concha, J. Xaus, and A. Zarzuelo Dietary Olive Oil Supplemented with Fish Oil, Rich in EPA and DHA (n-3) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Attenuates Colonic Inflammation in Rats with DSS-Induced Colitis J. Nutr., April 1, 2005; 135(4): 687 - 694. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. A. Babcock, T. Dekoj, and N. J. Espat Experimental Studies Defining {omega}-3 Fatty Acid Antiinflammatory Mechanisms and Abrogation of Tumor-Related Syndromes Nutr Clin Pract, February 1, 2005; 20(1): 62 - 74. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. J. Smith, P. Mukerji, and M. J. Tisdale Attenuation of Proteasome-Induced Proteolysis in Skeletal Muscle by {beta}-Hydroxy-{beta}-Methylbutyrate in Cancer-Induced Muscle Loss Cancer Res., January 1, 2005; 65(1): 277 - 283. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K C H Fearon, M F von Meyenfeldt, A G W Moses, R van Geenen, A Roy, D J Gouma, A Giacosa, A Van Gossum, J Bauer, M D Barber, et al. Effect of a protein and energy dense n-3 fatty acid enriched oral supplement on loss of weight and lean tissue in cancer cachexia: a randomised double blind trial Gut, October 1, 2003; 52(10): 1479 - 1486. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. Wall Fish Oil Supplementation in Patients With Advanced Cancer J. Clin. Oncol., September 15, 2003; 21(18): 3545 - 3545. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L Jackson, W Wahli, L Michalik, S A Watson, T Morris, K Anderton, D R Bell, J A Smith, C J Hawkey, and A J Bennett Potential role for peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) in preventing colon cancer Gut, September 1, 2003; 52(9): 1317 - 1322. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Bruera, F. Strasser, J. L. Palmer, J. Willey, K. Calder, G. Amyotte, and V. Baracos Effect of Fish Oil on Appetite and Other Symptoms in Patients With Advanced Cancer and Anorexia/Cachexia: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study J. Clin. Oncol., January 1, 2003; 21(1): 129 - 134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. E. Hardman Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Augment Cancer Therapy J. Nutr., November 1, 2002; 132(11): 3508S - 3512. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Inui Cancer Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome: Current Issues in Research and Management CA Cancer J Clin, March 1, 2002; 52(2): 72 - 91. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. S. Whitehouse, H. J. Smith, J. L. Drake, and M. J. Tisdale Mechanism of Attenuation of Skeletal Muscle Protein Catabolism in Cancer Cachexia by Eicosapentaenoic Acid Cancer Res., May 1, 2001; 61(9): 3604 - 3609. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. P. Burns, S. Halabi, G. H. Clamon, V. Hars, B. A. Wagner, R. J. Hohl, E. Lester, J. J. Kirshner, V. Vinciguerra, and E. Paskett Phase I Clinical Study of Fish Oil Fatty Acid Capsules for Patients with Cancer Cachexia: Cancer and Leukemia Group B Study 9473 Clin. Cancer Res., December 1, 1999; 5(12): 3942 - 3947. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. J. Smith, M. J. Lorite, and M. J. Tisdale Effect of a Cancer Cachectic Factor on Protein Synthesis/Degradation in Murine C2C12 Myoblasts: Modulation by Eicosapentaenoic Acid Cancer Res., November 1, 1999; 59(21): 5507 - 5513. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. P. Vanden Heuvel Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptors: A Critical Link among Fatty Acids, Gene Expression and Carcinogenesis J. Nutr., February 1, 1999; 129(2): 575 - 575. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. Rousseau Asthenia in terminally ill cancer patients: A brief review American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, September 1, 1997; 14(5): 258 - 261. [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. G. Thompson, S. C. Mackie, A. Thom, and R. M. Palmer Regulation of Phospholipase D in L6 Skeletal Muscle Myoblasts. ROLE OF PROTEIN KINASE C AND RELATIONSHIP TO PROTEIN SYNTHESIS J. Biol. Chem., April 18, 1997; 272(16): 10910 - 10916. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S J Wigmore, J S Falconer, and K C H Fearon Fatty acids for treating pancreatic cancer BMJ, August 20, 1994; 309(6953): 544 - 544. [Full Text]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Cancer Research | Clinical Cancer Research |
| Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention | Molecular Cancer Therapeutics |
| Molecular Cancer Research | Cancer Prevention Research |
| Cancer Prevention Journals Portal | Cancer Reviews Online |
| Annual Meeting Education Book | Cell Growth & Differentiation |
