fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
from the BBC
12 September 2011 Last updated at 12:14 ET Fish oils block chemotherapy drug By James Gallagher Health reporter, BBC News Fish oils may block cancer drugs Fats found in fish oil supplements can stop chemotherapy drugs working, according to researchers. Writing in the journal Cancer Cell, they advise cancer patients not to take the supplements. The two fatty acids involved, which are also produced by stem cells in the blood, lead to tumours becoming immune to treatment. Cancer Research UK advised patients to ask their doctor whether they would be affected. Scientists in the Netherlands were investigating how tumours develop resistance to treatments. Fat shield Experiments on mice showed that stem cells in the blood responded to the widely-used cancer drug cisplatin. The cells started producing two fatty acids, known as KHT and 16:4(n-3). These fatty acids begin a series of chemical reactions, which mean cancerous cells become resistant to chemotherapy. We currently recommend that these products should not be used whilst people are undergoing chemotherapy” Prof Emile Voest University Medical Centre Utrecht Using drugs to block the production of the fatty acids prevented this form of resistance which "significantly enhances the chemotherapy," the study says. However, researchers warned that these fatty acids were "abundantly present in commercially available fish oil products". They showed that off-the-shelf fish oil supplements, given to mice, could stop chemotherapy working against some tumours. Prof Emile Voest, lead researcher at University Medical Centre Utrecht, said: "We show that the body itself secretes protective substances into the blood that are powerful enough to block the effect of chemotherapy. "These substances can be found in some types of fish oil. "Whilst waiting for the results of further research, we currently recommend that these products should not be used whilst people are undergoing chemotherapy." Jessica Harris, health information manager for Cancer Research UK, said: "This interesting study suggests one possible option for stopping cancers becoming resistant to treatment, but it is at an early stage and much more research would be needed to develop ways to halt resistance. "The results also suggest that fish oil preparations may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs. "Cancer patients who are taking or thinking of taking these supplements should talk to their doctors to find out whether they could affect their treatments." |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
|
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
Hmmm
Thought I had read some research that indicated fish oil was particularly synergistic with taxotere and increased it's efficacy? Ellie |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
In this article they were referring to Cisplatin, a drug rarely used for BC in the U.S. I am a skeptic on this one.
|
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
This is exactly why I consult with a cancer specific naturopathic doctor who has been researching vitamins and supplements and their pro or anti effects w/ chemotherapy for 25 years... when I change chemo, we adjust what I am taking.
|
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
I take Neptune Krill oil which is a small tablet but very very high in omega 3. Since I have just started Tykerb/xeloda is the combination a problem with omega3. When you don't have many shots left you really want to get the right one.
|
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
Kiwigirl,
I wondered the same thing. I took Xeloda and Tykerb for nine months and fish oil with my vitamin D. Amelia |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
Dr. Keith Block's response to this study:
http://www.lifeovercancerblog.com/li...r-picture.html "There are several major problems with this line of thinking. First and foremost, this study must be put in its proper context. It is just one mouse study, and it is inconsistent with the lion’s share of human and animal evidence to date. At least 17 clinical studies indicate that cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy will significantly benefit by taking either fish oil or purified omega-3 fatty acids like DHA during chemotherapy treatment." ~ Dr. Keith Block |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
Thank you, Brenda.
Amelia |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
Another case where having access to the entire paper is important:
Quote:
Quote:
So if there's anything at all to this, it would seem to be whether the fish oil supplement had the offending PIFAs filtered while retaining the welcome EPA and DHA. I wonder if the paper mentions the brands tested. |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
Thanks for this post, as I take fish oil. But it also raises the question of how does a patient find out that they are using, according to Dr. Block:
"only those fish oils that have been molecularly distilled, while confirming that any and all supplements they take have undergone and passed independent testing." I find these disclaimers often. I guess finding out would entail yet another research project, unless a company offers this information on their website. Joan |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
One quick search, and here's some info to help you on your path to finding the good stuff: (no endorsement of any brands they might be selling)
http://www.nutritional-supplements-h...-fish-oil.html |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
from the xtend life brand site above:
Quote:
Quote:
What I still wonder about is whether a process designed to remove toxins and metals removes the pifas in question...i.e. the half empty interpretation of Dr. Block's half full statement "It is quite possible that there are no PIFAs in molecularly distilled fish oils". Ok..maybe..maybe not. Having looked at a number of fish oil/cancer abstracts, I get the sense that DHA is the most potent component of this fishy oil. There are DHA only supplements available. Could it be that DHA isolated supplements have been further filtered/isolated and more "likely" to have had the offending pifas removed? Maybe..maybe not. I asked Nature's Bounty brand about molecular filtering and independent testing and they responded in depth about testing without mentioning filtering. I rebounded the filtering question back to them..we'll see. Of course, I didn't ask what kind of molecular filtering it is. Oy. Maybe it's better to ask specifically about presence of the pifas, identified in this late arrival, but more detailed medscape article: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/750026 Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
But all the minutia and stone turning may be unnecessary if positive animal and human studies were done with relatively standard fish oil. It would be great if the brands or characteristics of the previously positive result fish oil were revealed. |
Re: fish oil may prevent some types of chemotherapy from working
Thanks for the link and checking into this. My own CVS brand fish oil canister notes,
"Laboratory tested to meet strict quality control standards for potency, purity and disintegration." But that doesn't really get to the point. Oy, is right, Rich. Joan |
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:51 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright HER2 Support Group 2007 - 2021