Randomized Multicenter Placebo-Controlled Trial of Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Control of Aromatase Inhibitor-Induced Musculoskeletal Pain: SWOG S0927

Hershman DL

Published in Journal of Clinical Oncology

Methodology

Randomised, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial; postmenopausal women with aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms received omega-3 or placebo oil for 24 weeks with Brief Pain Inventory worst-pain score as primary endpoint.

Key Findings

In SWOG S0927 (249 women on aromatase inhibitors), 3.3 g/day omega-3 fatty acids for 24 weeks reduced worst joint pain by about 50% from baseline - but so did placebo (soybean/corn oil), with no significant difference between arms; obese women showed a non-significant trend favouring omega-3.

Conclusions

Omega-3 supplements did not outperform placebo oil for aromatase inhibitor-related joint pain, though both arms improved substantially.

Limitations

Large placebo response limits interpretation, and the oil placebo was not biologically inert; pain self-reported via BPI; 24-week duration; subgroup findings by BMI exploratory and hypothesis-generating only.