https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3283-7115
![Sample our Health and Social Care journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5938/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Health-Social-Care.jpg"})
Abstract
Purpose: Patients with digestive system cancer frequently over-express inflammatory cytokines after surgical operations or chemotherapy. Omega-3 fatty acids are key nutrients with numerous beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in cancer patients. The anti-inflammatory effect of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids in patients with digestive system cancer requires further validation.
Methods: The meta-analysis includes studies that compared the variations in inflammatory marker (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and C-reactive protein (IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP)) concentrations between patients with digestive system cancer who were supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids versus controls who were not supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids.
Results: Our findings indicated that the variations in the IL-6 and CRP concentrations in patients with digestive system cancer did not differ between the supplementation groups and the controls. Statistically significant differences in the variations in the TNF-α concentrations were observed between the supplementation groups and the controls. However, there were no significant differences in the variations in the TNF-α concentrations according to the subgroup analysis.
Conclusions: Omega-3 fatty acids may have an inhibitory effect on postoperative TNF-α elevation in patients with digestive system tumors, but additional supporting data require a large clinical trial.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Shoumeng Yan
BL, WC, and SY designed the study; SY, ML, DY performed the study; SY, ML, and YP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript; SY, CW, and HZ participated amending the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Meng Li
BL, WC, and SY designed the study; SY, ML, DY performed the study; SY, ML, and YP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript; SY, CW, and HZ participated amending the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Di Yang
BL, WC, and SY designed the study; SY, ML, DY performed the study; SY, ML, and YP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript; SY, CW, and HZ participated amending the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Yingan Pan
BL, WC, and SY designed the study; SY, ML, DY performed the study; SY, ML, and YP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript; SY, CW, and HZ participated amending the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Changcong Wang
BL, WC, and SY designed the study; SY, ML, DY performed the study; SY, ML, and YP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript; SY, CW, and HZ participated amending the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Hantong Zhao
BL, WC, and SY designed the study; SY, ML, DY performed the study; SY, ML, and YP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript; SY, CW, and HZ participated amending the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Bo Li
BL, WC, and SY designed the study; SY, ML, DY performed the study; SY, ML, and YP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript; SY, CW, and HZ participated amending the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
Weiwei Cui
BL, WC, and SY designed the study; SY, ML, DY performed the study; SY, ML, and YP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript; SY, CW, and HZ participated amending the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.