[Is ketogenic diet effective against cancer ?] / Le régime cétogène : efficace contre le cancer ?

The ketogenic diet, which consists of reduced carbohydrate intake and increased fat intake, is a recognized treatment option for children with intractable epilepsy. This diet is now receiving renewed interest from physicians and researchers because of its potential therapeutic effect in other diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndrome or cancer. Since cancer is one of the major public health challenges, complementary approaches to improve the efficacy of standard anti-cancer therapies are the subject of much research. This article reviews the place of the ketogenic diet as a complementary therapy in cancer, the scientific evidence and possible practical aspects of such an approach.

Le régime cétogène vise à réduire l'apport nutritionnel d'hydrates de carbone en augmentant les lipides. Ce régime est une option thérapeutique reconnue, en particulier chez les enfants souffrant d'épilepsie réfractaire. Il fait aujourd'hui l'objet d'un regain d'intérêt de la part des médecins et des chercheurs, en raison de son potentiel effet thérapeutique dans d'autres pathologies comme certaines maladies neurodégénératives, le syndrome métabolique ou même le cancer. Le cancer étant l'un des grands défis de santé publique, les approches complémentaires pour améliorer l'efficacité des thérapies anticancéreuses standards font l'objet de nombreuses recherches. Cet article fait le point sur la place du régime cétogène comme thérapie complémentaire dans le cancer, les évidences scientifiques et les éventuels aspects pratiques d'une telle approche.

[Vitamin deficiencies in the adult outpatient setting]. / Carences vitaminiques chez l'adulte en médecine ambulatoire.

Since their discovery more than a century ago to this day, vitamins went from misunderstood molecules with mysterious properties to fundamental components with undoubted clinical implications. Despite the scientific progresses in the understanding of their physiopathological role, vitamins raise to this day multiple interrogations in clinical practice. This article aims at answering questions that are frequently encountered in the outpatient setting regarding vitamin deficiencies: who to screen ? At what moment ? By which test ? How to interpret the results ? How to supplement ? By answering these questions, we hope to provide the general practitioners with a pragmatic tool to guide them in the management of issues related to vitamins.

Depuis leur découverte il y a plus d'un siècle à aujourd'hui, les vitamines sont passées de molécules méconnues et aux propriétés mystérieuses à des composants primordiaux et aux implications cliniques certaines. Malgré les progrès scientifiques dans la compréhension de leur rôle physiopathologique, les vitamines suscitent encore de nombreuses interrogations en pratique clinique. Cet article s'efforce de répondre aux questions fréquem ment rencontrées en médecine ambulatoire portant sur les carences vitaminiques: qui dépister ? À quel moment ? Par quel test ? Comment interpréter les résultats ? Comment supplémenter ? En répondant à ces questions, nous espérons fournir au médecin de premier recours un outil pragmatique pour l'orienter dans la prise en charge des problématiques vitaminiques.

Impact of nutritional therapy during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in intensive care patients: A retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major organizational challenges to healthcare systems concerning staff, material and bed availability. Nutrition was not a priority in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the beginning of the pandemic with the need for simplified protocols. We aimed to assess the impact of a simplified nutritional protocol for critically ill COVID-19 patients during the pandemic first wave. METHODS: We included all patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections, admitted to the ICU of the Geneva University Hospitals for at least 4 days from March 9 to May 19, 2020. Data on the route and solution of nutritional therapy, prescribed and received volume, calorie and protein intake, amount of insulin, propofol and glucose administered were collected daily during the entire ICU stay. We compared nutritional outcomes between patients admitted to the ICU before and after implementing the simplified nutritional protocol using unpaired t-test. RESULTS: Out of 119 patients, 48 were hospitalized in the ICU before, 47 across and 24 after the implementation of the nutritional protocol. The mean age was 63.2 (±12.7) years and 76% were men without significant difference between before and after group. The nutritional protocol implementation led to an increase in caloric intake (1070 vs. 1357 kcal/day, p = 0.018) and in the percentage of days within 80-100% of the energy target (11 vs. 20%, p = 0.021). The protein debt decreased significantly from 48 g/day to 37 g/day (p = 0.015). No significant difference in the percentage of days within the protein target (80-100%) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Calorie and protein coverage improved after the implementation of the simplified nutritional protocol in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of such an approach on patients' clinical outcomes.

Glycine increases fat-free mass in malnourished haemodialysis patients: a randomized double-blind crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Protein energy wasting is associated with negative outcome in patients under chronic haemodialysis (HD). Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) may increase the muscle mass. This post hoc analysis of a controlled double-blind randomized crossover study assessed the impact of BCAAs on nutritional status, physical function, and quality of life. METHODS: We included 36 chronic HD patient features of protein energy wasting as plasma albumin <38 g/L, and dietary intakes <30 kcal/kg/day and <1 g protein/kg/day. Patients received either oral BCAA (2 × 7 g/day) or glycine (2 × 7 g/day) for 4 months (Period 1), followed by a washout period of 1 month, and then received the opposite supplement (Period 2). The outcomes were lean body mass measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, fat-free mass index measured by bioelectrical impedance, resting energy expenditure, dietary intake and appetite rating, physical activity and function, quality of life, and blood parameters. Analyses were performed by multiple mixed linear regressions including type of supplementation, months, period, sex, and age as fixed effects and subjects as random intercepts. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (61.2 ± 13.7 years, 41% women) were compliant to the supplementations (consumption >80% of packs) and completed the study. BCAA did not affect lean body mass index and body weight, but significantly decreased fat-free mass index, as compared with glycine (coeff -0.27, 95% confidence interval -0.43 to -0.10, P = 0.002, respectively). BCAA and glycine intake had no effect on the other clinical parameters, blood chemistry tests, or plasma amino acids. CONCLUSIONS: Branched-chain amino acid did not improve lean body mass as compared with glycine. Unexpectedly, glycine improved fat-free mass index in HD patients, as compared with BCAA. Whether long-term supplementation with glycine improves the clinical outcome remains to be demonstrated.

Gut barrier and microbiota changes with glycine and branched-chain amino acid supplementation in chronic haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that glycine increases fat-free mass in chronic haemodialysis patients with features of malnutrition as compared with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). This multicentre randomized double-blind crossover study evaluates the impact of these amino acids on the gut barrier and microbiota. METHODS: Haemodialysis patients were included if they had plasma albumin <38 g/L or weight loss >5% of dry body weight, and daily dietary intakes <30 kcal/kg and <1 g protein/kg. They consumed glycine or BCAA (7 g twice daily) for 4 months and underwent a 1 month washout period, before crossover of supplementations. Faecal microbiota (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and immunoglobulin A (IgA), serum levels of cytokines, surrogate markers of intestinal permeability, appetite mediators, and endocannabinoids were obtained at the start and end of each supplementation. Supplementations were compared by multiple mixed linear regression models, adjusted for age, sex, month of supplementation (0 and 4 in each period), and period (Period 1: first 4 months; Period 2: last 4 months). Microbiota comparisons were performed using principal coordinate analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance, Shannon diversity index estimate and analysis of composition of microbiomes analysis, and Wilcoxon tests. RESULTS: We analysed 27 patients compliant to the supplementations. Multiple mixed linear regression models were significant only for interleukin-6 (P = 0.002), glucagon-like peptide 1 (P = 0.028), cholecystokinin (P = 0.021), and peptide YY (P = 0.002), but not for the other outcomes. The significant models did not show any impact of the type of supplementation (P < 0.05 in all models). Principal coordinate analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (P = 0.0001) showed strong microbiota clustering by subject, but no effect of the amino acids. Bacterial alpha diversity and zero-radius operational taxonomic unit richness remained stable, whatever the supplementation. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (0.030; Q1-Q3 0.008-0.078 vs. 0.004; Q1-Q3 0.001-0.070) and Bifidobacterium dentium (0.0247; Q1-Q3 0.002-0.191 vs. 0.003; Q1-Q3 0.001-0.086) significantly decreased with the BCAA supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: The BCAA and glycine supplementations had no impact on the serum levels of cytokines, appetite mediators, intestinal permeability, endocannabinoids, or faecal IgA. Overall faecal microbiota composition and microbial diversity did not change with the glycine or BCAA supplementation but decreased the abundance of L. paracasei and B. dentium.

Results from an Epidemiological Follow-Up Survey on Home Artificial Nutrition in Switzerland from 2010 to 2015.

BACKGROUND: Home artificial nutrition (HAN) is an established treatment for malnourished patients. Since July 2012, the costs for oral nutrition supplements (ONS) are covered by the compulsory health insurance providers in Switzerland if the patient has a medical indication based on the Swiss Society for Clinical Nutrition guidelines. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to analyse the development of HAN, including ONS, before and after July 2012. METHODS: We obtained the retrospective and anonymized data from the Swiss association for joint tasks of health insurers (SVK), who registered patients on HAN. Since not all health insurers are working with SVK, this retrospective study recorded nearly 65% of all new patients on HAN in Switzerland from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2015. RESULTS: A total of 33,410 patients (49.1% men and 50.9% women) with a mean BMI of 21.3 ± 4.5 kg/m2 and mean age of 68.9 ± 17.8 years were recorded. The number of patient cases on ONS increased from 808 cases in 2010 to 18,538 cases in 2015, while patient cases on home enteral nutrition (HEN) and home parenteral nutrition (HPN) remained approximately the same. The relative distribution of type of HAN changed from 26.2% cases on ONS, 68.7% cases on HEN and 5.1% cases on HPN in 2010 to 86.1% cases on ONS, 12.8% cases on HEN, and 1.1% cases on HPN in 2015. Treatment duration decreased for ONS from 698 ± 637 days to 171 ± 274 days, for HEN from 416 ± 553 days to 262 ± 459 days, and for HPN from 96 ± 206 days to 72 ± 123 days. Mean costs per patient decreased for ONS from 1,330 CHF in 2010 to 606 CHF in 2015. Total costs for HAN increased from 16,895,373 CHF in 2010 to 32,868,361 CHF in 2015. CONCLUSION: Our epidemiological follow-up study showed an immense increase in number of patients on HAN in Switzerland after July 2012. Due to shorter therapy duration and reduced mean costs per patient, total costs were only doubled while the number of patients increased 7-fold.

Nutritional Intervention to Prevent the Functional Decline in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review.

Aging is a global public health concern. From the age of 50, muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance tend to decline. Sarcopenia and frailty are frequent in community-dwelling older adults and are associated with negative outcomes such as physical disability and mortality. Therefore, the identification of therapeutic strategies to prevent and fight sarcopenia and frailty is of great interest. This systematic review aims to summarize the impact of nutritional interventions alone or combined with other treatment(s) in older community-dwelling adults on (1) the three indicators of sarcopenia, i.e., muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance; and (2) the hospitalization and readmission rates. The literature search was performed on Medline and included studies published between January 2010 and June 2020. We included randomized controlled trials of nutritional intervention alone or combined with other treatment(s) in community-living subjects aged 65 or older. In total, 28 articles were retained in the final analysis. This systematic review highlights the importance of a multimodal approach, including at least a combined nutritional and exercise intervention, to improve muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance, in community-dwelling older adults but especially in frail and sarcopenic subjects. Regarding hospitalization and readmission rate, data were limited and inconclusive. Future studies should continue to investigate the effects of such interventions in this population.

The Underappreciated Role of Low Muscle Mass in the Management of Malnutrition.

Preserving muscle is not only crucial for maintaining proper physical movement, but also for its many metabolic and homeostatic roles. Low muscle mass has been shown to adversely affect health outcomes in a variety of disease states (eg, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease) and leads to an increased risk for readmission and mortality in hospitalized patients. Low muscle mass is now included in the most recent diagnostic criteria for malnutrition. Current management strategies for malnutrition may not prioritize the maintenance and restoration of muscle mass. This likely reflects the challenge of identifying and measuring this body composition compartment in clinical practice and the lack of awareness by health care professionals of the importance that muscle plays in patient health outcomes. As such, we provide a review of current approaches and make recommendations for managing low muscle mass and preventing muscle loss in clinical practice. Recommendations to assist the clinician in the optimal management of patients at risk of low muscle mass include the following: (1) place muscle mass at the core of nutritional assessment and management strategies; (2) identify and assess low muscle mass; (3) develop a management pathway for patients at risk of low muscle mass; (4) optimize nutrition to focus on muscle mass gain versus weight gain alone; and (5) promote exercise and/or rehabilitation therapy to help maintain and build muscle mass. The need to raise awareness of the importance of screening and managing 'at risk' patients so it becomes routine is imperative for change to occur. Health systems need to drive clinicians to treat patients with this focused approach, and the economic benefits need to be communicated to payers. Lastly, further focused research in the area of managing patients with low muscle mass is warranted.

Prescription and indication for oral nutritional supplements in a Swiss university hospital: a prospective survey.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: Patients with an acute or chronically negative nutritional balance are at nutritional risk. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are simple and effective medical treatments of nutritional risk. In the ambulatory setting, in Switzerland, ONS are reimbursed by public insurance under conditions defined by Swiss Society for Clinical Nutrition. The reimbursement requires a medical prescription for ONS and their delivery at the patient's home by a homecare service. The indication for the ONS, defined as a Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002) score ≥3, must also be present. This survey aimed to document: (i) the existence of a medical prescription for ONS during hospitalisation and discharge for home, (ii) the adequacy of the indication for ONS during hospitalisation and at discharge for home, and (iii) the continuation or not of ONS treatment 1 month after discharge for home. METHODS: This prospective survey included adult patients hospitalised in the departments of surgery, medicine or rehabilitation and who were about to receive ONS for the first time. Patients already on ONS, with major consciousness disorders, who refused to take ONS or to participate to the survey were excluded. The existence of a medical prescription for ONS and the adequacy of the indication (Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 [NRS-2002] score ≥3) were evaluated at first ONS delivery and at hospital discharge. At home, the continuation of ONS consumption was evaluated by the homecare service 1 month after discharge. Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation or frequencies and percentages, and comparisons between patients with and without ONS at discharge for home. RESULTS: A total of 416 patients (age 71.7 ± 14.1 yr, 52.6% male, body mass index 23.6 ± 5.2 kg/m2) were included. At the first delivery of ONS, 44.5% (n = 185) of patients had no medical prescription for the supplements, and 82.7% (n = 344) had an NRS-2002 score ≥3. Out of 207 patients discharged for home, only 24.2% (n = 50) had an adequate homecare ONS prescription and 68% (n = 141) had a NRS-2002 score ≥3. One month after discharge for home, 76% (n = 29) were still taking ONS. CONCLUSIONS: In our survey, only few patients receiving ONS during the hospital stay had a medical prescription for ONS during the hospitalisation and at discharge for home. For most patients receiving ONS during hospitalisation and at discharge for home, an NRS-2002 score of ≥3 was present. If a medical prescription was provided, ONS were generally continued one month after discharge for home. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02476110.

Detection and treatment of medical inpatients with or at-risk of malnutrition: Suggested procedures based on validated guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the high prevalence of malnutrition in the general inpatient population, there is a lack of knowledge in regard to detecting disease-related malnutrition and implementing nutritional support. Our aim was to suggest practical procedures for screening and treating malnourished or at-risk patients hospitalized in medical wards, thereby fostering a straightforward implementation of nutritional therapy independent of the underlying disease and comorbidities. METHODS: A working group of experts in clinical nutrition selected and analyzed published disease-specific European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) guidelines relevant for our aim. Eight questions in population, intervention, control, outcome format were defined to cover topics such as screening, nutritional targets, and routes of feeding. Individual studies were extracted from the guidelines by applying inclusion and exclusion criteria targeting the heterogeneous population of medical inpatients with or at-risk of disease-related malnutrition. We used those studies as evidence, as well as recommendations from the selected ESPEN guidelines, to formulate answers to the questions. Final agreement with the statement was obtained by consensus of the whole working group. RESULTS: Procedures on how to provide integrated nutritional therapy (oral, enteral, and parenteral) to a heterogeneous patient population were suggested, including how to identify malnourished or at-risk patients, nutrient targets, choice of feeding route, monitoring, and assessment of patients. We also developed a simple algorithm to facilitate the implementation of a nutritional care plan for the general medical inpatient population. CONCLUSION: By compiling evidence and recommendations from disease-specific guidelines, we were able to suggest a nutritional strategy applicable to large and heterogeneous group of malnourished or at-risk patients admitted to hospitals. A large randomized controlled trial is currently investigating whether this strategy improves clinical outcomes of patients.

[Oral nutritive supplements : efficiency and clinical use in community-dwelling patients]. / Suppléments nutritifs oraux : efficacité et aspects pratiques en ambulatoire.

Undernutrition represents a wide-spread clinical state in outpatients and inpatients. It is associated with a high morbidity and mortality, an impaired quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. Early diagnosis and treatement help to reduce these medical and economic consequences. Oral nutritive supplements (ONS) are simple, effective and economic medical treatments to fight against undernutrition. However, they are insufficiently used for outpatients because of lack of knowledge. This article reviews the impact of ONS, their indications and contraindications and their modalities of prescription and focuses especially on community-dwelling patients.

La dénutrition est un état clinique répandu chez les personnes hospitalisées et ambulatoires. Elle augmente la morbi-mortalité, les coûts et diminue la qualité de vie. Un diagnostic et une prise en charge précoces permettent de diminuer ses conséquences médico-économiques. Les suppléments nutritifs oraux (SNO) sont un traitement médical simple, efficace et économique pour lutter contre la dénutrition. Ils sont peu utilisés chez les patients ambulatoires, car méconnus. Cet article précise l'impact des SNO, les indications et les contre-indications, et les modalités de prescription, en se focalisant sur les patients ambulatoires.

Effects of widely used drugs on micronutrients: a story rarely told.

Vitamins and trace elements are essential to the body, however, deficiencies are frequently observed in the general population. Diet is mostly responsible for these deficiencies but drugs also may play a significant role by influencing their metabolism. These effects are rarely assessed in clinical practice, in part because of limited data available in the literature. Drug-induced micronutrient depletions, however, may be the origin of otherwise unexplained symptoms that might sometimes influence medication compliance. We present various examples of widely prescribed drugs that can precipitate micronutrient deficiencies. This review aims at sensitizing physicians on drug-micronutrient interactions. High-risk population groups also are presented and supplementation protocols are suggested.

Assessment of food intake in hospitalised patients: a 10-year comparative study of a prospective hospital survey.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: A food quality control and improvement permanent process was initiated in 1999. To evaluate the food service evolution, protein-energy needs coverage were compared in 1999 and 2008 with the same structure survey in all hospitalized patients receiving 3 meals/day. METHODS: Nutritional values of food provided, consumed and wasted over 24h including non-exclusive nutritional support were calculated individually. Nutritional needs were estimated as 110% of Harris-Benedict formula for energy and 1.2 or 1.0 g protein/kg/day for patients <65 or ≥65 years old, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified factors associated with low nutritional intake in both populations standardized to body mass index (BMI) of 1999's patients. RESULTS: Out of 1677 patients, 1291 were included. Mean BMI was higher in 2008 than 1999 (P<0.001). The proportion of underfed patients was unchanged (69 vs. 70%, NS). The consumption of ≥1 oral nutritional supplements (ONS) daily increased the protein needs coverage from 80% to 115% (P<0.001). The year 1999, high BMI, 1st week of hospital stay, specific diet, ONS absence and low meal quality were associated with low nutritional intakes. CONCLUSION: The nutritional needs coverage could have improved in 2008 if BMI was similar to 1999's. ONS consumption is associated with a lower risk of underfeeding in hospitalized patients.

Energy and macronutrient requirements for physical fitness in exercising subjects.

Optimal nutritional intakes are critical for health- and skill-related physical fitness. This review details the effect of energy restriction and supplementation on physical fitness, discusses the optimal chronic macronutrient intakes for physical fitness in exercising subjects and finally overviews the impact of short-term intakes of carbohydrate and protein, before, during and after exercise, on physical fitness of athletes. The present standings highlight that it is essential that health care givers personalize nutritional advice to meet the specific needs of exercising individuals while applying the described recommendations. It reminds the difficulty of providing straight nutritional recommendations for physical fitness on the basis of evidence-based medicine.

L-ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate in HIV infection: effects on muscle, gastrointestinal, and immune functions.

OBJECTIVES: There have been claims that l-ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate (OKG) exerts anticatabolic, anabolic, and immunomodulating properties. This study aimed at quantifying the effects of OKG on muscle force, body composition, and immune function in outpatients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and presenting weight loss. METHODS: Forty-six HIV(+) patients were included in a double-blind, prospective, randomized, controlled trial for 12 wk (10 g/d of OKG or isonitrogenous placebo and nutritional counseling). Podometry, handgrip strength, step test, triceps skinfold thickness, 50-kHz bioelectrical impedance, 3-d diet record, CD4 cell count, HIV-1 RNA concentration (viral load), and gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed at 0, 4, 8, and 12 wk. RESULTS: At baseline, patients (OKG, n = 22; placebo, n = 24) has similar CD4 counts (338 +/- 172 and 310 +/- 136 cells/mL), viral load (3.6 +/- 1.3 and 3.5 +/- 1.3 log(10) copies/mL), body mass index (20.0 +/- 2.4 and 20.6 +/- 3.0 kg/m(2)), weight loss (9.0 +/- 3.12 and 9.4 +/- 3.0 kg), and food intake (2509 +/- 962 and 2610 +/- 808 kcal/d). Twenty-nine patients completed the protocol. Both groups increased their body mass index (P = 0.02 versus baseline) and triceps skinfold thickness (P < 0.01 versus baseline). They showed a similar positive correlation between handgrip strength and fat-free mass. Frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms increased in the OKG group (86% versus 54% in the placebo group, P = 0.025). No other differences were observed between groups. CONCLUSIONS: All patients increased their body mass index and triceps skinfold thickness due to food supplementation and diet counseling. Oral OKG failed to improve nutritional, functional, or immunologic status in these weight-losing HIV(+) patients and had important gastrointestinal side effects.

Controversy of immunonutrition for surgical critical-illness patients.

Specific nutrients such as arginine, glutamine, dietary nucleotides, and omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to influence infectious morbidity, antibiotic use, and hospital length of stay. The combination of these nutrients into one enteral formulation has become known as immune-enhancing diets. Consensus guidelines developed by a number of clinical investigators and published in 2001 concluded that immune-enhancing diets were beneficial in moderate to severely malnourished patients undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery and patients sustaining severe blunt and penetrating torso trauma. The purpose of this article is to review data published between February 1, 2001, and January 31, 2003, to determine whether new studies substantiated or refuted the current recommendations for the use of immune-enhancing diets in surgical, critically injured, and critically ill patients. Results confirmed the benefits of preoperative administration of immune-enhancing diets in surgical patients but also demonstrated that postoperative administration offered no advantages. Decreased infectious complications were also observed in critically ill patients receiving immune-enhancing diets. Accumulating evidence supports the use of immune-enhancing diets in these specific patient populations.

[Modulation of immunity in cancerous patient : an weapon with double edges?]. / Modulation de l'immunité chez le patient cancéreux: une arme à double tranchant?

Nutritional support of cancer patients should ideally contribute to improve the immune defence, maintain the protein body pool and sensitize the tumour to oncologic treatments. Such a goal is not easy to achieve, because any nutritional support efficient at stimulating immune response and protein syntheses might also simultaneously stimulate the tumour growth. Contradictory observations have been reported for several nutrients contained in the nutritive solutions available on the market. This is the case for glutamine, arginine, omega-3 fatty acids and nucleotides. Their clinical use during oncologic therapies deserves further testing and analysis.