Effects of Dietary Supplementation With omega3-fatty Acids (Fish Oil) and Progressive Resistance Training on Skeletal Muscle Status in Gynaecological, Gastrointestinal and Urological Cancer Patients

Summary

Cancer cachexia is a common and prognostically relevant complication of advanced malignancies, characterized by systemic inflammation, increased catabolism, and reduced nutritional intake, leading to a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, physical performance, and quality of life. Muscle wasting negatively affects the tolerability and efficacy of oncological therapies and exacerbates distressing symptoms such as fatigue. Consequently, international guidelines recommend combined nutritional and exercise interventions as key components of supportive cancer care. However, due to treatment-related limitations, conventional exercise programs are often difficult to implement, highlighting the need for feasible, time-efficient, and individually adaptable training concepts suitable for daily life.

In addition, adequate protein-rich nutrition is essential and may be supported by targeted nutritional supplementation. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects and beneficial influences on nutritional status, quality of life, and potentially skeletal muscle mass.

The aim of the present project is to investigate, in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, whether the combination of progressive resistance training (twice-weekly TheraBand-based exercise) and omega-3 supplementation (daily intake of 2 g EPA and 1 g DHA administered as fish oil capsules) can improve muscle status, physical performance, and patient-relevant outcomes such as quality of life, appetite, and fatigue in cancer patients at high risk of developing cancer cachexia.

Conditions

• Cancer Cachexia
• Omega 3
• Resistance Training
• Cancer
• Muscle Wasting
• Systemic Inflammation

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Omega 3 FA (Fish Oil)

4x capsules containing 500 mg EPA and 250 mg DHA

BEHAVIORAL

Training

2x weekly resistance training

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Corn Oil Placebo, 4 capsules/day for 12 weeks

4x capsueles daily

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Yurdagül Zopf, Prof. Dr. med. · Universitätsklinikum Erlangen

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-01-01

Primary Completion

2028-10-31

Completion

2029-10-31

Countries

• Germany

Study Locations