A study looking at a fish oil supplement in people having surgery aimed at curing bowel cancer (EPA colo)

This study is looking at a fish oil supplement called eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA. This may improve recovery after surgery aiming to cure bowel cancer.

If you have surgery to treat bowel cancer, you may have some muscle wasting which may affect how quickly you recover from surgery. EPA is an omega 3 fatty acid found in fish oil and oily fish, or as supplements such as cod liver oil. Researchers believe that EPA may improve recovery after surgery for bowel cancer by preserving muscle that often wastes away after major surgery or due to cancer.

In this study, they will give half the people taking part an EPA supplement before surgery and for 3 weeks afterwards. The other half will take dummy capsules (placebos).

The main aim of this study is to see if taking EPA can help improve both the amount of muscle and how well it works in people having surgery aiming to cure cancer of the bowel.