FISH OIL TO MAINTAIN WEIGHT

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The study proposed in this application primarily seeks to determine if nutritional supplementation with fish oils can maintain weight in any disease-related weight loss (cachexia). An intervention to maintain weight, although not aimed at achieving immediate eradication of the tumor mass, could influence the course of the patient's clinical state. This would no doubt contribute to improving the patients' quality of life and possibly tolerance to treatment of the underlying tumor. A secondary purpose is to understand the role of sex hormone levels and weight in cachexia patients with a goal of possibly testing a commonly used nutritional supplement (DHEA) in future studies to gain an additive effect on fish oils. This study will also attempt to elucidate the mechanism of action of fish oils through use of the sophisticated CAM Center laboratory cores established within the Johns Hopkins Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer. Furthermore, with the wide use of nutritional supplements by the public, clinical trials of nutritional supplements are a very urgent public health necessity in order to set the standard. Although accrual in clinical trials is a challenge, at Johns Hopkins with the collaboration of the pancreatic cancer clinic team, we are certain of adequate accrual to answer our question and to improve the overall understanding of weight maintenance in pancreatic cancer patients. Information obtained from this proposal will expand our understanding of the use of dietary supplements in the treatment of complications of cachexia. In addition, we will obtain information to better understand cancer wasting itself. With information from this investigation, we will be better positioned to evaluate other potential CAM therapies for cancer wasting.