Journal of Medical and Health Studies ISSN: 2710-1452 DOI: 10.32996/jmhs Journal Homepage: www.al-kindipublisher.com/index.php/jmhs JMHS AL-KINDI CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Copyright: © 2022 the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Published by Al-Kindi Centre for Research and Development, London, United Kingdom. Page | 76 | RESEARCH ARTICLE Effects of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Changes in CRP Levels in Colorectal Cancer Patients Receiving Capecitabine Rudy Chandra 1 ✉ Yenny Dian Andayani 2 and Erial Bahar 3 12 Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University / RSUP Dr. Moh. Hoesin Palembang, Indonesia 3 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University / RSUP Dr. Moh. Hoesin Palembang, Indonesia Corresponding Author: Rudy Chandra, E-mail: rudychan2588@gmail.com | ABSTRACT Colorectal cancer has a high incidence, morbidity, and mortality, where the incidence is often associated with inflammation. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) has an anti-inflammatory effect that has been widely studied, especially the phenol components in the form of hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal, which have anti-inflammatory properties. C - reactive protein is an acute inflammatory protein that is expressed in the presence of tissue damage. CRP levels themselves run parallel to the progression of malignancy, and elevated CRP is a predictor of poor prognosis. This study was conducted to determine the effect of EVOO on changes in CRP levels in colorectal cancer patients undergoing capecitabine chemotherapy. This study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The subjects of the study were 30 colorectal cancer patients who would undergo capecitabine chemotherapy. They were randomly divided into 2 groups: the group receiving 30 ml of EVOO per day and the group receiving a placebo (corn oil). Plasma CRP levels will be assessed at the start of the study and after two cycles of chemotherapy. The median age in the EVOO group was 45.5 (28-58), and in the placebo group, 55 (26-59). Nineteen samples (33%) were late-stage cancer that had metastasized. The median BMI of research subjects was 19.7 (14.8-31.2), and the mean performance status score was 77.6 ± 5.6. CRP levels after treatment had no significant difference (p=0.218) in the EVOO and placebo groups. In the EVOO group, there was a decrease in serum CRP levels from 19.8 ± 19.4 to 14.8 ± 15, while in the placebo group from 25.8 ± 26 to 22 ± 20.5. EVOO can significantly reduce CRP levels, but in comparison with a placebo did not show a statistically significant difference. | KEYWORDS Extra Virgin Olive Oil, CRP, Colorectal Cancer | ARTICLE INFORMATION ACCEPTED: 20 October 2022 PUBLISHED: 20 October 2022 DOI: 10.32996/jmhs.2022.3.4.11 1. Introduction Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer in the US, with an estimated total of 151,030 new cases by 2022. In the last decade, the incidence of colorectal cancer has increased in Asian countries, which is often attributed to the adoption of the western lifestyle. There has been a lot of research evidence linking the incidence of colorectal cancer with inflammatory processes such as Chron’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Research has also shown that using NSAIDs can reduce the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer (Laukoetter et al. 2011) Capecitabine, a fluoropyrimidine and a prodrug of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is completely absorbed and is more active in the gastrointestinal tract. The use of capecitabine is starting to increase in colorectal cancer and is preferred by some because it is more easily tolerated and has fewer side effects. One of the side effects of capecitabine is its catabolism product, such as α-fluoro- β-alanine (FBAL), which can cause inflammation in the target tissue, which is the cause of Hand-Foot Syndrome. This inflammation occurs in the hand and foot (Milano, 2008).