| Cancer is a word; it's not a sentence. | | | | the one you select comes from fresh, deep sea |
| Granted, cancer is a very scary word. Especially | | | | fish. |
| when it's your doctor looking at you over the | | | | Convenience is also another good reason to use a |
| tops of her reading glasses, with your charts, | | | | supplement. It is not only easier to take, it saves |
| records and lab results on her desk. | | | | space in the refrigerator or pantry not having to |
| Walking into her office, her first words were | | | | keep a large supply of fish on hand. You can take |
| probably: Are you all right? Followed by: Will you | | | | them with you wherever you go, simply drop the |
| please sit down here. | | | | bottle in your baggage with your other medicines. |
| There is no easy way to hear it. Many consider it | | | | Procurement and supply of the omega-3 |
| a death sentence, just a matter of time. The | | | | supplements can be problematic, especially in the |
| thoughts running through your mind are an all too | | | | case of postoperative survivors with mobility |
| familiar litany of denial, shock, rage, fear - always | | | | issues. Selection and delivery of the supplements |
| fear. Recrimination and self-flagellation, and finally | | | | in a timely manner and ease of billing or payment |
| resignation and acceptance. | | | | are necessary attributes to consider. The internet |
| All these emotions will manifest in time. For some, | | | | can be a very useful resource in that it may |
| it's a fast process. Others never get past the | | | | make it possible for patients with communication |
| fear. | | | | postoperative complications - or who are simply |
| After handling the mind-numbing number of | | | | unwilling to go out in public - able to order from |
| immediate decisions regarding surgery, and | | | | the convenience of their home. |
| post-operative treatments, dealing with the legal | | | | As with any other medication or change in |
| entanglements, there is facing the family and | | | | supplements, your medical provider or personal |
| breaking the news to them. Invariably, they take | | | | physician should be informed and aware of |
| cancer much harder than the person diagnosed | | | | alteration in the intake of any substance with |
| with the disease. Ironically, the cancer patient is | | | | medical implications. This is especially true with |
| generally more concerned about their family than | | | | people with a history of allergies to fish, or for |
| their own life-threatening condition. | | | | pregnant women. With a heavy omega-3 intake, |
| When the surgery and post-operative treatments | | | | there may be an unforeseen interaction with |
| are finally done, there is usually a fairly long period | | | | prescription medications specified by your |
| of recovery. Depending on the type and location | | | | physician. That said, it is widely believed that |
| of the cancer, there is suddenly time for | | | | Omega 3 supplements are beneficial for pregnant |
| reflection and contemplation. The insights and | | | | woman and are typically recommended for the |
| experiences of fellow cancer survivors can be a | | | | pre-natal benefits found in research studies. |
| welcome source of inspiration and motivation. | | | | Cancer is a vicious, insidious disease. It is invasive, |
| Without going through exhaustive detail of the | | | | pervasive and debilitating. And that is stating it |
| content of these meetings, it is almost a | | | | mildly. The surgery is generally the easy part. The |
| foregone conclusion that there is an occasionally | | | | hard parts are the perioperative and |
| contentious, often informative, and always | | | | postoperative phases when you must relearn |
| enlightening discussion of the adoption of a | | | | your own body and discover its new limitations. |
| cancer-preventive lifestyle. | | | | Then, just when you feel as if you've got a grip |
| One of the often-discussed subjects is | | | | on reality again, comes the follow-on oncology to |
| preemptive preventive diets, supplements, and | | | | ensure the cancer is well and truly gone. Radiation |
| similar regimens to forestall the recurrence of the | | | | - whether with cobalt-60 or some other |
| cancer. The elimination of an existing cancer is | | | | radioactive isotope - wipes you out physically. |
| particularly problematic, prevention of cancer | | | | Your entire life consists of sleeping, getting |
| before it manifests itself is somewhat easier. In | | | | treatment, sleeping, eating - which may be a |
| most cases, resolving the issue of encouraging | | | | much more complex issue than you can imagine - |
| remission is identical in practice as prevention of | | | | sleeping, and getting up to do it all over again. This |
| contracting the disease itself. | | | | can go on for several weeks. Chemotherapy is |
| Consider the specific and particular case of the | | | | worse. You are constantly taking high doses of |
| use of omega-3 fatty acids - also called | | | | expensive poisons, selected carefully to put your |
| alpha-linolenic acid with the specific acids identified | | | | body at death's door without accidentally opening |
| as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and | | | | it. |
| eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) - as found in certain | | | | If there was anything that could prevent this, |
| fish oils as both a preemptive solution and aid to | | | | you'd do it: especially if you've been through it |
| remission for cancer survivors. | | | | once or twice before. Not to belittle or denigrate |
| The evidence to date is primarily epidemiological. | | | | the power of prayer or having a strong faith; but, |
| That is, the results are based on cancer | | | | there are Earthly alternatives that have proven |
| occurrence based on studies of various population | | | | positive effects on several of your bodies |
| groups. Most professionals in the medical | | | | systems, notably the circulatory system, found in |
| community are already convinced of the proven | | | | omega-3 fish oils. If there is a chance it can be |
| and well-established benefits of omega-3 fatty | | | | efficacious in the prevention or retardation of the |
| acids in the prevention or alleviation of symptoms | | | | onset of cancer; or a recurrence of the disease, |
| associated with high blood pressure and significant | | | | then it's worth the attempt. This is especially valid |
| reductions in blood triglycerides - medically known | | | | in the use of a fish oil-based supplement nutrient. |
| as hypertriglyceridemia. Many are also aware | | | | The cost of possible prevention - when compared |
| there are a number of medical conditions from | | | | with the cost of some of the chemotherapy |
| angina to prevention of vascular disease which | | | | cocktails - is minuscule. Henry de Bracton said in |
| may also be alleviated. Most benefits attributed to | | | | the 13th century: "An ounce of prevention is |
| the efficacy of omega-3 fish oils are universally | | | | worth a pound of cure." While scientific and |
| needing more study. | | | | medical research studies may be inconclusive, |
| Government and highly-respected and reputable | | | | they are rarely negative regarding the |
| medical research institutions have an extensive list | | | | effectiveness of fish oil. To date, the naysayers |
| of diseases and research evidence regarding | | | | are saying there is no positive proof of |
| omega-3 fish oils and supplements. Research on | | | | prevention or alleviation of cancer, which is a |
| the effects of omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil | | | | logical fallacy. The correct way to state the lack |
| supplements as a cancer preventive is on-going. | | | | of evidential support based on a lack of compelling |
| The latest studies are mostly graded as unclear | | | | argumentation in favor or against the conclusion is |
| on a scientific basis. This is not a denial of the | | | | to simply state: What is supported right now is |
| potential benefits; it is simply an indication that | | | | that we just don't know. |
| more study is needed. Clinical studies are | | | | With an exciting new large diverse population of |
| somewhat complicated by the known benefits of | | | | healthy people in a controlled, double-blind scientific |
| omega-3 supplements having benefits on the | | | | medically-supervised and monitored long-term test |
| surrounding systemic infrastructure, which may be | | | | scheduled; a statistically valid conclusion of the |
| masking or occluding any specific conclusion | | | | efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids when used in |
| regarding cancer prevention or alleviation of | | | | either alone or in combination with Vitamin D in |
| symptoms. | | | | the prevention of cancer will be established. |
| This is not to imply that clinical studies have not | | | | This, in conjunction with the ground-breaking |
| been conducted which show positive results. | | | | research in combating squamous cell carcinomas |
| However, the sample sizes were necessarily | | | | of the esophageal tract in recently postoperative |
| limited - either by financial constraints or a lack of | | | | patients should lead to more rigorous tests with |
| a large test base having the particular kind and | | | | larger sample sizes that can establish if there is a |
| type of cancer to meet the requisite qualifications | | | | valid link to omega-3 acids in the alleviation of the |
| for inclusion in the sample. | | | | effects of an existing cancer. |
| A promising indication of the benefits of EPA | | | | There is one thing, however, that is certain: There |
| enriched enteral nutrition (EN) in the treatment of | | | | is no current known cure for cancer. It can be |
| cancer patients - as found in omega-3 fish oil | | | | treated, but not cured. There are some reports |
| supplements - was reported in the Annals of | | | | of spontaneous remission, however, virtually all of |
| Surgery in March 2009. This particular double-blind | | | | them are apocryphal and have no demonstrable |
| study focused on the perioperative alleviation of | | | | or documented method of being recreated at will. |
| immuno-inflammatory response to | | | | Cancer can be avoided to some degree. The |
| esophagectomy, and on postoperative | | | | obvious ways to avoid getting cancer are |
| complications. The conclusion was, in part, that | | | | well-documented, there is no reason to make an |
| EPA supplemented early EN is associated with | | | | exhaustive list. The less obvious ways to avoid it |
| preservation of lean body mass post | | | | are generally not known until it is too late for |
| esophagectomy compared with a standard EN. | | | | some people. Avoiding contact with toxic or |
| This research came on the heels of a test | | | | carcinogenic materials is a good start. Good |
| conducted at Norwich, UK, regarding the effect of | | | | nutrition and exercise, drinking lots of clean pure |
| n-3 [omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA] | | | | water all help flush potentially harmful chemicals |
| polyunsaturated fatty acids on Barrett's epithelium | | | | from your body. |
| in the human lower esophagus as reported in the | | | | These simple day-to-day decisions and choices, |
| American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. | | | | when combined with judicious and careful selection |
| While research is still continuing, that does not | | | | of nutrient supplements, taken in the correct |
| preclude using the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids | | | | doses, lead to a healthy lifestyle. In the case of |
| to offset the less-beneficial omega-6 fatty acids. | | | | fish oil supplements, there are a number of |
| While both are necessary, the omega-3 appears | | | | known and proven benefits associated with taking |
| to be far less pro-inflammatory than the omega-6 | | | | it on a regular basis. Enough that if the potential of |
| acids. | | | | being able to fend off cancer is possible, then that |
| Of note, there is a large government-sponsored - | | | | is icing on the cake. There is no need to justify |
| the National Cancer Institute, with the National | | | | taking fish oil supplements with anything more |
| Heart, Lung and Blood Institute along with other | | | | than "It's for my heart health." That makes sense |
| federal agencies - funding the $20 million study of | | | | to a lot of people who know of those benefits. If |
| the cancer-preventive properties of omega-3 fish | | | | you insist you are taking it to avoid cancer, this |
| oil and Vitamin D in a controlled experiment using | | | | can cause a glance askance, as that particular |
| healthy subjects, with a 25% proportion of black | | | | science has not been fully tested or proven. |
| patients - one of the first and largest nutritional | | | | Judicious use of wisdom can go a long way. |
| studies specifically targeting a known high-risk | | | | If five years from now, when the NCI study |
| racial population. This study is planned to take five | | | | results are in and analyzed, there is a firm linkage |
| years and involve 20,000 test subjects taking one | | | | establishing fish oil supplements as an effective |
| nutrient supplement or the other, or both, or | | | | preventive application for certain cancers, then |
| neither. The test was announced in June 2009. | | | | you can just nod and smile, having a five-year |
| This test may set to rest some of the recent | | | | head start on the rest of the population. |
| reports which simply pointed out the testing to | | | | Remember that cancer has several phases, all of |
| date was inadequate and inconclusive, yet the | | | | which require treatment: |
| headlines in the media leave the impression that | | | | * As a preemptive preventive measure, taken |
| unclear results are the same as negative results, | | | | prior to contracting cancer. |
| which is patently not the case. As with any other | | | | * As a perioperative treatment taken between |
| purchasing decision, due diligence and careful | | | | the time of surgery and leaving the hospital. |
| research, and careful determination of the validity | | | | * As a postoperative treatment taken in |
| of the reports based on unbiased criteria is a | | | | conjunction with radiological or chemotherapy. |
| fundamental first step in the process. | | | | * As a post-recovery regimen to encourage |
| There are significant advantages of using a | | | | remission or regression. |
| supplement source - such as an oil or pill - than | | | | Omega-3 fatty acid supplements have potential in |
| using a totally organic, or natural source; such as | | | | all of these areas and ought to be given the |
| dark-fleshed fish, established and known to | | | | serious and focused attention they deserve. |
| contain high levels of omega-3 acids. Some | | | | Much more exciting research with laboratory |
| considerations worthy of note are that the | | | | animal testing is clearly demonstrating a need for |
| manufactured supplements are far less likely to | | | | more rigid and controlled experimentation in the |
| contain contaminates that are detrimental to good | | | | search for the cure. Fish oil is one of the favored |
| health, specifically chemicals and elements known | | | | vehicles because of its known benefits and lack of |
| to be dangerous, such as mercury or other | | | | negative side effects. Some of the potentially |
| heavy metals and dioxin. Since these chemicals | | | | promising results have come out in the last three |
| bind to the fish and not the fatty acid itself, | | | | years. |
| supplements are much safer. | | | | Cancer has been a blight on humanity for a long |
| Another consideration is metered dosage. It's | | | | time. And it is tenacious and resilient disease, |
| similar to the old laxative commercial that | | | | resisting most treatment short of total removal |
| featured the woman inquiring about prunes: Are | | | | and eradication of any residual traces of its |
| three enough? Are six too many? Supplements | | | | existence. Among one of its more malignant traits |
| are precisely measured so you can be sure you're | | | | is its ability to spread by invading the lymphatic or |
| getting your recommended daily dose of omega-3 | | | | circulatory systems. This process is known as |
| fatty acids. | | | | metastasis. Fish oil has been shown in some small |
| Also, there is a lack of the odor associated with | | | | scale studies to inhibit metastasis in certain |
| gamey fish when using a supplement. A lot of | | | | cancers by reducing the inflammatory effects of |
| people are put off of the idea of eating strong | | | | omega-6 fatty acids by replacement with |
| fish high in omega-3 fatty acids because of the | | | | omega-3 fatty acids. |
| taste. In a very small percentage of cases - | | | | Further on-going research is needed in tracking |
| some sources cite a figure of 10% - there may | | | | the effects of fish oil with w-3 polyunsaturated |
| be some gastronomic gas, also known as belching, | | | | fatty acids (PUFAs) demonstrated an increase in |
| until the body acclimates itself to digesting larger | | | | the level of the tumor suppressor protein PTEN. |
| doses of fish oils. If you're using a good | | | | Another small scale study at the University of |
| supplement and take the pills around the time you | | | | Texas, San Antonio, conducted from 2004-2006 |
| eat dinner, you shouldn't have any issues. | | | | demonstrated the cause and effect on laboratory |
| Then there is the matter of cost to consider. A | | | | mice, however, their conclusion is larger |
| can of sardines is expensive considering the | | | | populations and more statistical analysis is required |
| efficiency in returning your investment in usable | | | | to prove the concept. |
| omega-3 acids. A supplement pill is generally less | | | | One thing is certain: Omega-3 fatty acids, other |
| than 20% of the cost of a natural food source. | | | | PUFAs, EPA, DHA, and additional beneficial |
| Further, most people simply do not want to eat | | | | ingredients present in fish oil supplements have a |
| fish every day, especially when the alternative is | | | | long track record of successful results that |
| just adding another pill to your daily medication | | | | outweigh any contrary lack of results, and virtually |
| and nutrient regimen. There is also the impact on | | | | no record at all of any detrimental results when |
| your caloric intake. Typically, a supplement has | | | | taken in reasonable doses, even in long-term |
| less than 30% of the calories of an equivalent | | | | treatment programs. |
| serving of fish. | | | | There is absolutely no compelling evidence in |
| Of note, fish oils are not homogenous. They | | | | existence that even hints that fish oil is |
| contain a number of different varieties of | | | | contraindicated, other than possible allergic |
| omega-3 acids in addition to the EPA and DHA | | | | sensitivity. In a nutshell, there isn't any reason not |
| chains. This is usually encountered in supplements | | | | to take fish oil supplements on a daily basis for |
| derived from natural sources of fish, as opposed | | | | the rest of your life. |
| to synthesized or over-processed omega-3 acids. | | | | Instead of facing a sentence, consider cancer as |
| When comparing fish oil supplements, make sure | | | | simply another word. |