Predicting Survival Outcomes at Five Years Following Administration of Omega-3 Long-Chain Fatty Acids in People Living with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Abstract

There is a paucity of research on longer-term outcomes following oral nutrition supplementation (ONS) in patients with cancer. An observational analysis on mortality and survival rates were conducted in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) that received cancer treatment ONS plus 2 g of eicosapentaenoic-acid (EPA) versus standard treatment (EN). Twenty-six participants were available (81.3% of the original cohort [n=32]) in the ONS-EPA 2 g and 24 (75% of original cohort [n=32]) in the ONS-standard groups. Mortality at five years was 50% in the ONS-EPA 2 g and 58.3% in the ONS-standard group but with longer survival time in the ONS-EPA 2 g than the ONS-standard group (35 versus 18 months, respectively). A trend toward a longer survival time five years was observed in participants who received ONS with a high EPA content compared to those who received standard-formula ONS. Results may represent a possible long-term benefit of using high EPA supplementation during active cancer treatment to address malnutrition and positively influence clinical outcomes. Keywords: Nutritional supplementation, Eicosapentaenoic acid, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, 5­year mortality