Research published in Supportive Care in Cancer (December 2012;20(12):3129–3135) examined the effects of targeted nutritional supplementation on inflammation in patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The study included 31 patients with stage III or IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Participants received a specialized oral supplement containing amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, RNA, vitamins, and antioxidants for five days prior to each chemotherapy cycle. Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers were measured at baseline, after supplementation, and before the final chemotherapy cycle.
After five days of supplementation, researchers observed a reduction in inflammatory markers. The supplemented group also experienced a lower incidence of severe acute mucositis, a painful and common complication of chemotherapy affecting the mucous membranes.
