Higher Blood
Levels of Long-chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Linoleic Acid are
Associated with a Reduced Risk of Prostate Cancer
In a
prospective, nested, case-control study involving 14,916 apparently
healthy men, results indicate that higher blood levels of both
long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid may be associated
with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. During 13 years of
follow-up, 476 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Using
conditional logistic regression, inverse associations were observed
between whole blood levels of all long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and
linoleic acid and overall prostate cancer risk. The highest quintile
for blood levels of total long-chain omega-3 fatty acids was
associated with a 41% reduced risk of overall prostate cancer.
Similarly, the highest quintile for blood levels of linoleic acid
was associated with a 38% reduced risk of overall prostate cancer.
On the other hand, a positive association was observed between blood
levels of gamma-linolenic and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acids with
overall prostate cancer risk. Thus, the authors of this study
conclude, "Higher blood levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids,
mainly found in marine foods, and of linoleic acid, mainly found in
non-hydrogenated vegetable oils, are associated with a reduced risk
of prostate cancer. The direct associations of linoleic acid
metabolites with prostate cancer risk deserve further
investigation."
Reference: "A prospective study of polyunsaturated fatty acid levels
in blood and prostate cancer risk," Chavarro JE, Stampfer MJ, et al,
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2007 June 21; [Epub ahead of
print]. (Address: Jorge E. Chavarro, Dep't of Nutrition, Harvard
School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115,
USA. E-mail: jchavarr@hsph.harvard.edu ).
