According to the National Cancer Institute, there are over 200,000 diagnosed cases of breast cancer in the United States every year. The lifetime odds of developing breast cancer for women are one in eight. Fish oil contains omega-3, an essential fatty acid that has been extensively studied in relation to its ability to treat and prevent numerous types of cancer, including breast cancer. Many of these studies have looked at the presence of omega-3s in the fatty tissue of breast cancer tumors.
Reduced Risk of Tumors
French researchers reporting in the March 2002 edition of the "International Journal of Cancer" conducted a study to examine the possible role of omega-3 fatty acids in inhibiting mammary tumor growth and metastasis. They analyzed fatty tissue taken from 241 breast cancer patients with invasive, non-metastatic breast carcinoma and fatty tissue taken from 88 patients with benign breast disease. They found higher levels of omega-3 content were associated with reduced risk of breast cancer. Women with the highest levels were 60 percent less likely to have cancerous tumors compared to women with the lowest levels
Omega-3s Counteract Omega-6s
California researchers reporting in the June 2002 issue of "Nutrition and Cancer" examined the fatty tissue of breast cancer patients to analyze the amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in relation to omega-6 fatty acid content in their tumors. They collected tissue from 74 patients and 73 control subjects. The researchers found that omega-6 fatty acids were higher in the cancer patients and that omega-3 fatty acids exerted a protective effect. They concluded an approximate halving of breast cancer risk among women with the highest omega-3 content.
More Reduced Risk Evidence
A July 2007 issue of the "International Journal of Cancer" reports on a similar study performed by Japanese researchers. The scientists collected dietary information and blood samples from 103 breast cancer patients and 309 controls without cancer. Specifically, they were looking for associations between breast tumor risk and the content of omega-3s in blood cells as biomarkers of dietary intake. Upon analysis, the scientists concluded that both higher dietary intake and higher blood levels of omega-3s are associated with lower breast cancer risk
Singapore Chinese Health Study
A team of researchers reporting in the November 2003 issue of the "British Journal of Cancer" analyzed data from the Chinese Singapore Health Study to look for links between omega-3 consumption and breast cancer risk. The study included 35,298 Singapore Chinese women from 45 to 74 years of age. They were enrolled from 1993 to 1998 and answered a food-frequency questionnaire. By the end of 2000, 314 new cases of breast cancer had been diagnosed. The researchers reported that high levels of omega-3 fatty acids were significantly associated with reduced risk.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Breast Cancer
- "International Journal of Cancer"; N-3 and N-6 Fatty Acids in Breast Adipose Tissue and Relative Risk of Breast Cancer in a Case-control Study in Tours, France; Virginie Maillard et al., March 2002
- "Nutrition and Cancer"; Long-chain N-3-to-n-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Ratios in Breast Adipose Tissue from Women with and Without Breast Cancer; Dansonio Bagga et al.; June 2002
- "International Journal of Cancer"; Breast Cancer Risk and Erythrocyte Compositions of N-3 Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Japanese; Kiyonori Kuriki; July 2007
- "British Journal of Cancer"; Opposing Effects of Dietary N-3 and N-6 Fatty Acids on Mammary Carcinogenesis: the Singapore Chinese Health Study; Marucia Gago-Dominguez; November 2003
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