Trial reportBMC complementary and alternative medicine2014
Echium oil is not protective against weight loss in head and neck cancer patients undergoing curative radio(chemo)therapy: a randomised-controlled trial.
Trial report in BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01596933 (Multi-centric, Placebo-controlled Trial of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Weight Maintenance and Preservation of Lean Body Mass, in), which is not on this map. Cited by 16 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Multi-centric, Placebo-controlled Trial of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Weight Maintenance and Preservation of Lean Body Mass, in (Pre)Cachectic Head and Neck Cancer Patients, Undergoing Curative Radio(Chemo)Therapy
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Guidelines for nutrition in adults with head and neck cancer: The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition · 2026Guideline
- Oncological and Survival Endpoints in Cancer Cachexia Clinical Trials: Systematic Review 6 of the Cachexia Endpoints Series.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2025Pooled it
- Biomarker endpoints in cancer cachexia clinical trials: Systematic Review 5 of the cachexia endpoint series.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2024Pooled it
- Body weight and composition endpoints in cancer cachexia clinical trials: Systematic Review 4 of the cachexia endpoints series.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2024Pooled it
- Appetite and dietary intake endpoints in cancer cachexia clinical trials: Systematic Review 2 of the cachexia endpoints series.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2024Pooled it
- Physical function endpoints in cancer cachexia clinical trials: Systematic Review 1 of the cachexia endpoints series.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2023Pooled it
- Nutrition as prevention for improved cancer health outcomes: a systematic literature review.JNCI cancer spectrum · 2023Pooled it
- Long-chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids MitigatebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Cancer cachexia: molecular basis and therapeutic advances.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026Review
- A Review of the Main Biologically Active Compounds of the GenusPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Assessment of Integrative Therapeutic Methods for Improving the Quality of Life and Functioning in Cancer Patients-A Systematic Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
- A Review of Nutraceuticals in Cancer Cachexia.Cancers · 2023Review
- Promising Sources of Plant-Derived Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: A Narrative Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Review
- Review
- Oral Mucositis: Melatonin Gel an Effective New Treatment.International journal of molecular sciences · 2017Review
- Role of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the Management of Cancer Cachexia.Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursingReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTherapy-induced mucositis and dysphagia puts head and neck (H&N) cancer patients at increased risk for developing cachexia. Omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) have been suggested to protect against cachexia. We aimed to examine if echium oil, a plant source of n-3 FA, could reduce weight loss in H&N cancer patients undergoing radio(chemo)therapy with curative intent.
methodsIn a double-blind trial, patients were randomly assigned to echium oil (intervention (I) group; 7.5 ml bis in die (b.i.d.), 235 mg/ml α-linolenic acid (ALA) + 95 mg/ml stearidonic acid (SDA) + 79 mg/ml γ-linolenic acid (GLA)) or n-3 FA deficient sunflower oil high oleic (control (C) group; 7.5 ml b.i.d.) additional to standard nutritional support during treatment. Differences in percentage weight loss between both groups were analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle. Erythrocyte FA profile, body composition, nutritional status and quality of life were collected.
resultsNinety-one eligible patients were randomised, of whom 83 were evaluable. Dietary supplement adherence was comparable in both groups (median, I: 87%, C: 81%). At week 4, the I group showed significantly increased values of erythrocyte n-3 eicosapentanoic acid (EPA, 14% vs -5%) and n-6 GLA (42% vs -20%) compared to the C group, without a significant change in n-6 arachidonic acid (AA, 2% vs -1%). Intention-to-treat analysis could not reveal a significant reduction in weight loss related to echium oil consumption (median weight loss, I: 8.9%, C: 7.6%). Also, no significant improvement was observed in the other evaluated anthropometric parameters.
conclusionsEchium oil effectively increased erythrocyte EPA and GLA FAs in H&N cancer patients. It failed however to protect against weight loss, or improve nutritional parameters.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01596933.
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