Improving surgical outcomes for bowel cancer

A randomised placebo-controlled phase III trial of the effect of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on colorectal cancer recurrence and survival after surgery for resectable liver metastases (The EMT2 study)

When bowel cancer is not identified early it may spread to other organs, such as the liver. One treatment option is to have surgery to remove the involved part of the liver. However, some patients who receive liver surgery to remove the bowel cancer cells that have spread there develop the disease again.

An initial study in Leeds suggested that patients who took a naturally-occurring omega-3 called EPA before surgery were more likely to survive following their surgery.

A larger study (the EMT2 Trial) is now being completed, looking at nearly 400 patients to see whether more patients who receive EPA capsules before and continue them after surgery, remain free of cancer.

Visit the University of Leeds trial website 

Read the academic trial summary