Dietary supplements in people with metastatic cancer who are experiencing malnutrition, cachexia, sarcopenia, and frailty: A scoping review
Publication Details
Johal, J.,
Han, C.,
Jospeh, R.,
Munn, Z.,
Oluwaseyifunmi, A.,
Crawford-Williams, F.,
Wallen, M.,
Chan, R.,
&
Hart, N. H.
(2022).
Dietary supplements in people with metastatic cancer who are experiencing malnutrition, cachexia, sarcopenia, and frailty: A scoping review.
Nutrients, 14 (13).
Abstract
Cancer-associated malnutrition, or cachexia, stemming from cancer or its treatments, is particularly prevalent in metastatic cancers, and is often interrelated with sarcopenia and frailty. Evidence suggests that dietary supplements play a role in managing these conditions. As metastatic cancer cells are associated with notable genomic and phenotypic alterations, response to dietary supplements may differ between metastatic and non-metastatic cancers. However, research in this area is lacking. This scoping review aims to identify the dietary supplements that have been studied in patients with metastatic cancers and malnutrition-related conditions, along with their proposed effects, mechanisms, outcome measures, and tools used. A systematic search was conducted across databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and clinical trial registries. Of the initial 6535 records screened, a total of 48 studies were included, covering a range of dietary supplements—vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, amino acids, fatty acids, fiber, and others. While the types of dietary supplements included varied across cancer types, omega-3 and carnitine were investigated most often. Proposed relevant attributes of dietary supplements included their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and immunomodulatory properties. Overall, there was a paucity of interventional studies, and more randomized controlled trials are warranted.
Keywords
dietary supplements, metastatic cancers, malnutrition, cachexia, sarcopenia, frailty, weight loss
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