Amino acids and cancer: potential for therapies?

Purpose of review: Cancer patients may have a variety of disorders associated with systemic inflammation caused by disease progression. Consequently, we have protein hypercatabolism. In view of this, protein and amino acid adequacy should be considered in relation to nutritional behavior. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate the influence of protein and amino acids in the nutritional therapy of cancer.

Recent findings: Diets with adequate protein levels appear to be beneficial in the treatment of cancer; guidelines suggest consumption of greater than 1.0-1.5 g/kg body weight/day. In patients diagnosed with malnutrition, sarcopenia, or cachexia, it is recommended to use the maximum amount of protein (1.5 g/kg of weight/day) to adapt the diet. In addition, based on the evidence found, there is no consensus on the dose and effects in cancer patients of amino acids such as branched-chain amino acids, glutamine, arginine, and creatine.

Summary: When evaluating the components of the diet of cancer patients, the protein recommendation should be greater than 1.0-1.5 g/kg of weight/day, with a distribution between animal and vegetable proteins. We found little evidence demonstrating clinical benefits regarding individual or combined amino acid supplementation. Still, it is unclear how the use, dose, and specificity for different types of cancer should be prescribed or at what stage of treatment amino acids should be prescribed.