Relevance of Dietary Supplement Use in Gastrointestinal-Cancer-Associated Cachexia - Review

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Angel

Cancer cachexia is a multi-organ syndrome characterized by unintentional weight loss, sarcopenia, and systemic inflammation. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients face higher risk because impaired absorption and digestion worsen nutritional depletion. This review assesses evidence for four dietary supplements—fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids), melatonin, probiotics, and green tea—using PubMed, Google Scholar, and CINAHL (no date limits). Of 4621 references, 26 met inclusion criteria.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

GI cancer prevalence and mortality

Cancer cachexia definition and risk factors

Malnutrition and inflammatory mechanisms

Review of dietary supplements

Fish oil (omega-3)

Melatonin

Probiotics

Green tea

nutrients Review Relevance of Dietary Supplement Use in Gastrointestinal-Cancer-Associated Cachexia Saunjoo L. Yoon 1 and Oliver Grundmann 1,2, * Citation: Yoon, S.L.; Grundmann, O. Relevance of Dietary Supplement Use in Gastrointestinal-CancerAssociated Cachexia. Nutrients 2023, 15, 3391. [https://doi.org/10.3390/](https://doi.org/10.3390/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.3390/)nu15153391 Academic Editor: Rosa Casas Received: 9 July 2023 Revised: 26 July 2023 Accepted: 28 July 2023 Published: 30 July 2023 Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . 1 Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; yoon@uﬂ.edu 2 Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA * Correspondence: grundman@uﬂ.edu; Tel.: +1-352-246-4994 Abstract: Cancer cachexia is a multi-organ syndrome with unintentional weight loss, sarcopenia, and systemic inﬂammation. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients are more susceptible to cachexia development due to impaired nutrient absorption and digestion. Given the widespread availability and relatively low cost of dietary supplements, we examined the evidence and effects of ﬁsh oil (omega-3 fatty acids), melatonin, probiotics, and green tea for managing symptoms of GI cancer cachexia. A literature review of four speciﬁc supplements was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and CINAHL without a date restriction. Of 4621 available literature references, 26 articles were eligible for review. Fish oil decreased C-reactive protein and maintained CD4+ cell count, while melatonin indicated inconsistent ﬁndings on managing cachexia, but was well-tolerated. Probiotics decreased serum pro-inﬂammatory biomarkers and increased the tolerability of chemotherapy by reducing side effects. Green tea preparations and extracts showed a decreased risk of developing various cancers and did not impact tumor growth, survival, or adverse effects. Among these four supplements, probiotics are most promising for further research in preventing systemic inﬂammation and maintaining adequate absorption of nutrients to prevent the progression of cancer cachexia. Supplements maybeneﬁt treatment outcomes in cancer cachexia without side effects while supporting nutritional and therapeutic needs. Keywords: cancer cachexia; gastrointestinal cancer; dietary supplements; nutritional supplements 1. Introduction Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the most common cancers diagnosed (17.8%) and with the highest mortality rate (28.2%) among all cancers [1] . Involuntary weight loss is common among GI cancers [2], with advanced GI cancer patients at an increased risk of developing cancer cachexia. Cancer cachexia is commonly deﬁned as 􀀕5% weight loss within a 6-month period [3] . The overall incidence of developing cancer cachexia in GI cancer patients is between 40% and 80%[4] . The risk of cancer cachexia in GI cancer patients may be as high as 90% in pancreatic cancer and as low as 15% in prostate cancer patients [5,6] . The prevalence of cachexia is inversely correlated with 5-year survival, indicating a tumor's site-speciﬁc contribution [7] . Patients with lower body mass index (BMI) are at a higher risk of impacted quality of life and reduced survival when developing cancer cachexia compared to patients with a normal or high BMI [8] . In recent years, the early detection of cancer cachexia in patients has been of interest to improve survival and quality of life. Multiple factors contribute to a delayed diagnosis of GI cancer. Sudden and unexpected weight loss may be the ﬁrst sign preceding

FAQs

Why are GI cancer patients more susceptible to cancer cachexia?

GI cancer cachexia risk is increased by impaired nutrient absorption and digestion, which accelerates nutritional depletion alongside unintentional weight loss and inflammation.

Which dietary supplements were evaluated in this review?

The review examined fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids), melatonin, probiotics, and green tea for managing GI-cancer-associated cachexia.

How many studies were eligible for the supplement evidence review?

From 4621 references identified, 26 articles were eligible for review after screening.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Angel