Fish oil, which comes from fish such as salmon and tuna that have high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, offers well-documented protection against heart disease, but fish oil's ability to fight cancer isn't as well known, says the American Cancer Society. Still, fish oil may prove to be a powerful weapon against cancer, and particularly cancers such as breast cancer that are related to hormone production, the American Cancer Society reports.
Inhibiting Tumor Formation
Consuming fish oil may help stop new cancerous tumors from forming in your breasts, says the American Cancer Society. A 2001 research study from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio found that the omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil either killed or slowed the growth of cancer cells that could cause breast cancer tumors.
Inhibiting Tumor Growth
Taking fish oil may also stop breast cancer tumors from growing. The American Cancer Society reports that fish oil may suppress breast cancer tumor growth. The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio study showed that fish oil's omega-3 fatty acids significantly decreased tumor growth rates in both cell cultures and animal research, and even increased the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs designed to stop breast cancer tumor growth.
Amounts
While the American Cancer Society doesn't recommend any specific amount of fish oil to consume to treat breast cancer, it does recommend replacing red meat --- beef, lamb, or pork --- with fish in your meals on a regular basis. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends either eating cold- water fish such as halibut and salmon regularly, or taking one to two fish oil capsules either once or twice each day to help treat breast cancer.
Cautions
The omega-3 fatty acids that fish oil contains may increase the total cholesterol levels in your blood, cautions the American Cancer Society, and when taken in large amounts, fish oil's omega-3 fatty acids may inhibit how well your blood clots. Also, if you're eating lots of fish, you should be aware that fish can absorb environmental pollutants such as mercury and dioxin that you can then ingest when consuming fish, the American Cancer Society adds.
References
- American Cancer Society: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- "Clinical Cancer Research": Three Percent Dietary Fish Oil Concentrate Increased Efficacy of Doxorubicin Against MDA-MB 231 Breast Cancer Xenografts; W. Elaine Hardman, C.P. Reddy Avula, and Gabriel Fernandes, et al; July 2001
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Breast Cancer
