Skin Cancer
Conditions
Keywords
Immunosuppression, Ultraviolet radiation, Nickel, Contact hypersensitivity
Brief summary
Skin cancer incidence continues to rise and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight is the principal cause. Solar UVR can promote cancer development through its ability to suppress the immune system. The purpose of this study is to determine whether dietary supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can protect human skin from UVR-induced immunosuppression.
Detailed description
Skin cancer is one of the most common human cancers with a rising incidence and considerable negative impact on human health. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight is the major aetiological factor in skin cancer initiation and progression. Human case-control studies have reported an inverse relationship between dietary fish or omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake and occurrence of non-melanoma skin cancer. Omega-3 PUFA have the potential to reduce the risk of photocarcinogenesis primarily by their ability to reduce production of prostaglandin E2 and consequently photoimmunosuppression. To date, no studies have assessed the impact of omega-3 PUFA on skin photoimmunosuppression in humans. OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential of dietary omega-3 PUFA to protect against UVR-induced cutaneous immunosuppression in humans. STUDY DESIGN: A double-blind randomised controlled nutritional study in 64 healthy human volunteers with nickel sensitivity. Volunteers will receive 3 months dietary supplementation with either omega-3 PUFA (n=32) or gelatine (n=32) both provided in identical gelatine capsules. The aim is to quantify the influence of omega-3 PUFA on: 1. UVR-induced suppression of clinical contact hypersensitivity (CHS) responses 2. UVR-induced modulation of epidermal Langerhans cell trafficking 3. UVR-induced modulation of levels of immunoregulatory mediators
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTOmega-3 PUFA
One capsule (4g omega-3 PUFA) daily for 3 months
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTGelatine
One capsule daily for 3 months
Sponsors
University of Manchester
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Pre-menopausal females * Sun-reactive skin type I / II * Reporting allergy to jewellery with nickel content
Exclusion criteria
* History of atopy * History of skin cancer * History of a photosensitivity disorder * Sunbathing (including sunbeds) in the last 3 months * Pregnancy * History of cardiac disease * Taking photoactive medicine * Not able to eat fish or gelatine * Taking fish oil supplements prior to the study
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Degree of suppression of nickel-induced contact hypersensitivity | 3 months | Measurement of the erythema of nickel-induced eczema using a reflectance instrument |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Intergroup comparison of cytokine and eicosanoid levels and Langerhans cell numbers | 3 months |
| Correlation of susceptibility to photoimmunosuppression in all subjects with their erythrocyte omega-3:omega-6 PUFA ratio | 3 months |
| Correlation of susceptibility to photoimmunosuppression with cytokine and eicosanoid levels and Langerhans cell numbers | 3 months |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed