ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of preoperation administration of enteral nutrition enriched ω-3 fatty acids for gastric cancer patients. MethodsA single center randomized controlled clinical trial was performed in 60 cases of gastric cancer in West China Hospital during January 2014 to June 2014, and cases were equally randomized divided into treatment group and control group. Cases of treatment group were given enteral nutrition enriched ω-3 fatty acids which was manufactured by Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH for 5 consecutive days before operation, and cases of control group were given an isocaloric and isonitrogenous homogenized diet for 5 consecutive days before operation. The laboratory indexes of nutritional status and imflammatory factors were observed and compared between 2 groups on admission, preoperative day 1, postoperative day 3, and postoperative day 5. Liver and kidney function indexes which as the safety indexes were detected on admission and preoperative day 1. Vomiting, diarrhea, and infectious complications were recorded in addition. ResultsOn 3 days after operation, levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and α-acid glycoprotein (AAG) of treatment group were both lower than those of control group (P<0.05); on 5 days after operation, levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) of treatment group was lower than that of control group too (P<0.05); but at other time points, there were no significant differences in any index between the 2 groups (P>0.05). During the period of enteral nutrition, only 1 case suffered from bloating and 1 case suffered from diarrhea, both in treatment group, and the incidence of adverse reactions didn't differed between treatment group[6.7% (2/30)]and control group[0 (0/30)], P>0.05. Moreover, there were no significant differences between treatment group and control group in incidences of wound infection[3.3% (1/30) vs. 10.0% (3/30)], abdominal infection[0 (0/30) vs. 3.3% (1/30)], urinary infection[0 (0/30) vs. 3.3% (1/30)], and pulmonary infection[0 (0/30) vs. 6.7% (2/30)], but the total incidence of complication was lower in treatment group than that of control group[3.3% (1/30) vs. 23.3% (7/30)], P=0.026. ConclusionEnteral nutrition enriched ω-3 fatty acids can reduce the rate of infection-related complication for patients with gastric cancer, and has a sense of safety.