Fish Oil - Carboplatin Interaction

Interaction Details

Carboplatin is classified as belonging to the following category: Platinum Agents

Theoretically, taking fish oil with platinum agents can cause resistance to platinum agents, potentially decreasing their effectiveness.
Platinum-induced fatty acids (PIFAs) are fatty acids secreted from human and mouse stem cells when exposed to platinum-based chemotherapy. Animal research suggests that PIFAs cause resistance to chemotherapy by stimulating lysophospholipid production in the spleen, which interferes with the DNA damage caused by certain chemotherapy drugs. One PIFA, known as 16:4(n-3), has been found in both raw fish and some commercially available fish oil products. Mackerel and herring have high PIFA concentrations, while salmon and tuna have low PIFA concentrations. Levels of PIFA in commercial fish oil products ranged from 0.2- 5.7 microMol. Animal research shows that PIFA-containing fish oil products cause resistance to cisplatin, fluorouracil, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin. It is unclear if all commercially available fish oil products contain PIFAs. Additionally, it is argued that levels of PIFA found in some fish oil products are too low to be of clinical concern. Furthermore, a lack of chemotherapy resistance in countries with high fish intake, such as Greenland, Japan, and Norway, suggest that this interaction may not be clinically significant.

Interaction Rating

Likelihood of Occurrence

Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

References

• Daenen LG, Cirkel GA, Houthuijzen JM, et al. Increased plasma levels of chemoresistance-inducing fatty acid 16:4(n-3) after consumption of fish and fish oil. JAMA Oncol 2015;1(3):350-8.
• Mazurak VC, Calder PC, van der Meij BS. Let them eat fish. JAMA Oncol 2015;1(6):840.
• Baracos V. Let them eat fish. JAMA Oncol 2015;1(6):840-1.
• Roodhart JM, Daenen LG, Stigter EC, et al. Mesenchymal stem cells induce resistance to chemotherapy through the release of platinum-induced fatty acids. Cancer Cell 2011;20(3):370-83.
• Houthuijzen JM, Daenen LG, Roodhart JM, et al. Lysophospholipids secreted by splenic macrophages induce chemotherapy resistance via interference with the DNA damage response. Nat Commun 2014;5:5275.

Carboplatin Overview

• Carboplatin is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat cancer of the ovaries (cancer that begins in the female reproductive organs where eggs are formed) that has spread to other parts of the body, not improved, or that has worsened after treatment with other medications or radiation therapy. Carboplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells.

Fish Oil - More Interactions

Fish Oil interacts with 321 drugs

Interaction Rating Key

These severity listings are for informational use only. Never start, stop or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.