Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Oral Mucositis Induced by Anticancer Therapy: A Meta-Analysis

Oral mucositis (OM) is a serious complication of anticancer therapy that can substantially affect patient quality of life and treatment outcomes. This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention and treatment of OM in patients diagnosed with cancer undergoing anticancer therapy. A systematic literature search of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wanfang databases for relevant studies, published up to September 24, 2024, was performed. Risk ratio (RR) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CIs) were calculated using Review Manager version 5.3. Five studies, including 337 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. Results of analysis revealed that, although omega-3 fatty acids did not significantly reduce the overall incidence of OM (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.25-1.01), it significantly reduced the incidence of severe OM (RR 0.31, 95% CI 0.17-0.56), with no heterogeneity was observed (p = 0.96; I²= 0%). Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids were found to significantly alleviate OM-associated pain (SMD -1.61, 95% CI -2.79 to -0.43), with no heterogeneity was detected (p = 0.32; I² = 0%). Omega-3 fatty acids effectively reduced the incidence of severe OM and alleviated OM-related pain in patients undergoing anticancer therapy.