Can Omega 3 Supplements Prevent Cancer Therapy Neurocognitive Toxicity?




Santiago Vilar-González, Oncology Department, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, UK
José Luis Besteiro-González, Centro Médico de Asturias, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain


Therapeutics used for the treatment of cancer can generate cognitive deterioration. Any advance in the prevention of neurotoxicity would be of major importance. Omega 3, a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids, may play a prominent role in this regard. Omega 3 fatty acids exert their protective effects through multiple direct and indirect pathophysiological mechanisms. Evidence has been obtained about their use in this setting both from preclinical and clinical trials, as well as from studies on their use in other pathologies as prevalent as Alzheimer’s disease and other type of dementias. This is why studies are required to confirm the hypothesis that omega 3 supplements may prevent cancer treatment-induced brain damage. 



Keywords: Neurotoxicity. Polyunsaturated fatty acid. Omega 3. Eicosapentaenoic acid. Docosahexaenoic acid. Prevention.





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