Omega-3 fatty acids are protective against paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy: A randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial Full Text
BMC Cancer, 08/21/2012
Ghoreishi Z et al. – Omega-3 fatty acids may be an efficient neuroprotective agent for prophylaxis against PIPN. Patients with breast cancer have a longer disease free survival rate with the aid of therapeutical agents.
Methods- This study was a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in reducing incidence and severity of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN).
- Eligible patients with breast cancer randomly assigned to take omega-3 fatty acid pearls, 640 mg t.i.d during chemotherapy with paclitaxel and one month after the end of the treatment or placebo.
- Clinical and electrophysiological studies were performed before the onset of chemotherapy and one month after cessation of therapy to evaluate PIPN based on "reduced Total Neuropathy Score".
- Twenty one patients (70 %) of the group taking omega-3 fatty acid supplement (n = 30) did not develop PN while it was 40.7 %( 11 patients) in the placebo group(n = 27).
- A significant difference was seen in PN incidence (OR = 0.3, .95 % CI = (0.10-0.88), p = 0.029).
- There was a non-significant trend for differences of PIPN severity between the two study groups but the frequencies of PN in all scoring categories were higher in the placebo group (0.95 % CI = ([MINUS SIGN]2.06 -0.02), p = 0.054).
