Title:Cancer-associated Cachexia, Reactive Oxygen Species and Nutrition Therapy
Volume: 26
Issue: 31
Author(s): Geir Bjørklund*, Maryam Dadar , Jan Aaseth , Salvatore Chirumbolo and Joeri J. Pen
Affiliation:
- Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine, Mo i Rana,Norway
Keywords:
Cancer, cachexia, reactive oxygen species, nutrition, micronutrients, ghrelin.
Abstract: Cancer-related Cachexia (CAC) is a syndrome occurring in many cancer patients,
with a detrimental effect on their survival. Recent reports have outlined that the syndrome
may be partly explained by the deleterious and pro-inflammatory action of Reactive Oxygen
Species (ROS). This review focuses on nutrients that theoretically could counteract the oxidative
stress in tumor cells, fundamentally due to their antioxidant activity. The preclinical and
clinical results obtained with the nutritional elements selenium, melatonin, taurine, carnosine,
coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone), and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA's) are discussed
in the light of the pathophysiology of CAC. This should indicate that they are viable candidates
for the treatment of CAC, with the ultimate goal to promote patient survival.
Combination therapy with diet modification added to the novel pharmaceutical agent ghrelin,
a hormone with anti-inflammatory properties, represents a promising concept.