Intravenous administration of omega-3 fatty acids in emulsion in combination with gemcitabine results in improved overall health and quality of life in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Researchers from the University of Leicester (United Kingdom) analyzed the effectiveness of treatment and the quality of life of 50 patients affected by advanced pancreatic cancer. During the study period, patients received 1 gram of gemcitabine each week supplemented with up to 100 g of omega-3 fatty acids for 3 weeks followed by a week off. This same type of treatment was reproduced 6 times. They observed the response rate of anti-cancer drugs and the quality of life of patients with this type of supplementation.
The conclusions of the study revealed that omega 3s allowed a response rate of 14.3%, and that the rate of control of the disease without progression was 85.7%.
The researchers also found that an improvement in overall health compared to the average (without omega-3) is observed in 47.2% of patients and that an improvement in the quality of life, compared to the average ( without omega-3) is observed in more than 50% of patients.
“These results, the first relating to an omega-3 + chemotherapy agent combination in the context of cancer, deserve to be confirmed by a phase III randomized trial”, conclude the authors of the study.
The right reflexes to fill up on omega 3
As the body does not know how to synthesize omega 3, it is essential to find them in food, in particular in rapeseed oil and in fatty fish. In smaller proportions, the study also reveals that the French lack omega 9. The average daily intake is 10.8% whereas it should reach 15 to 20%.
To fill up on omega 3, you must cover the intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) as follows.
To reach the objective of 2 to 2.5 g of ALA per day, it is sufficient to consume 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil (1.25 g of ALA) and 5 nuts, i.e. 10 g (800 mg of TO THE). To consume 250 mg of EPA + DHA each day, you can enjoy ½ can of 115g of sardines, ½ can of 120 g of canned mackerel or 50 g of salmon (raw, farmed).
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