Abstract
Background: Malnutrition is common in children with cancer and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. The need for supportive care is becoming ever more evident and the role of nutrition in oncology is still not sufficiently understood. In particular, the consequences of macro- and micronutrient deficiencies require further research. As epidemiological data suggest anti-tumoral properties of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), we reviewed the role of nutrition and n-3 supplementation in pediatric oncology. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed through 5 February 2021 to select meta-analyses, systematic reviews, observational studies, and individual randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on macro- and micronutrient supplementation in pediatric oncology. The search strategy included the following medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords: “childhood cancer”, “pediatric oncology”, “nutritional status”, “malnutrition”, and “omega-3-fatty-acids”. The reference lists of all relevant articles were screened to include potentially pertinent studies. Results: We summarize evidence about the importance of adequate nutrition in childhood cancer and the role of n-3 PUFAs and critically interpret findings. Possible effects of supplementation on the nutritional status and benefits during chemotherapy are discussed as well as strategies for primary and secondary prevention. Conclusion: We here describe the obvious benefits of omega-3 supplementation in childhood cancer. Further large scale clinical trials are required to verify potential anti-cancer effects of n-3 fatty acids.
Highlights
Epidemiological literature suggests a protective effect of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) against cancer [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
Evidence from various clinical trials in adult patients proves that n-3 PUFA supplementation during treatment ameliorates tolerability of chemotherapy, regardless of the type of cytostatic drug used [4,10,12,37,50,55,60,62,63,64]
Most scientific investigations focused on the effects of n-3 PUFAs on neuronal development and cognition or their supplementation in treatment regimens for neurocognitive disorders like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or during pregnancy [69,70,71,72,73]
Summary
Epidemiological literature suggests a protective effect of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) against cancer [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. They are attributed to have significant anti-inflammatory properties, and are reported to directly inhibit carcinogenesis and tumor expansion, whilst reducing the risk for secondary complications, representing a promising approach for adjunctive chemotherapy treatment [11,12,13,14]. The purpose of this review is to emphasize the importance of nutrition and the role of n-3 PUFAs as beneficial supplements in both the prevention and the treatment of pediatric cancer
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