Efficacy of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) Containing Protein Supplement in Preventing Weight Loss in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Curative Radiotherapy: Retrospective Observations with Historical Controls

Weight loss is a major issue in Head and Neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing curative radiotherapy. The principal objective of the study was to observe whether eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) containing protein supplement was effective in mitigating the weight loss during in hospitalized HNC undergoing curative radiotherapy. A retrospective study was performed based on clinical, treatment and nutritional data of 53 patients received EPA containing supplement during their curative radiotherapy from October 2014 to January 2015 and was compared with 88 historical control group of patients (October 2013 to June 2014) who had indigenous protein rich diet planned by the dietician in the period immediately before the implementation of providing EPA containing protein supplement to the patients. The data was stratified based on gender, age, weight, treatment modalities, stage and site of cancer and analysed using unpaired t test. A p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. The results indicate there was no significant difference in the patient tumor and clinical details. The results indicate that the percent change in weight loss was less in the EPA cohorts when calculated from weight ( P < 0.006) and Body Mass Index (BMI) perspective ( P < 0.003). Detail analysis suggested that beneficial effects were more in males ( P < 0.01), people affected with oral cancer ( P < 0.02), people below the age of 40 ( P < 0.001), and in people with early stage cancer ( P < 0.003). Cumulatively all these results suggest that administering EPA containing protein supplement was effective in arresting weight loss in HNC patients undergoing curative radiotherapy.