A Prospective Study Of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Levels In Blood And Prostate Cancer Risk

Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology;  Men's health;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 23 Jul 2007 - 0:00 PST

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UroToday.com- Dr. Chavarro and co-investigators report in the July issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention that higher levels of long-chain n-3 fatty acids and of linoleic acid are associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer (CaP).

The Physician's Health Study conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the effect of aspirin and carotene in the primary prevention of heart disease and cancer among 22,071 US male physicians who were used as the database for this report. The association between plasma levels of fatty acids and CaP risk was assessed in 476 incident cases accrued during 13 years of follow-up. Participants completed questionnaires prior to randomization and at follow-up intervals of 6-12 months. This included data on lifestyle factors and dietary intake and frequency. Blood was acquired from most participants at the study onset and this study is based upon those with an initial blood sample and newly diagnosed CaP during the first 13 years of follow-up.

Fatty acids were extracted from whole blood and analyzed along with matched controls. At baseline men who developed CaP had higher levels of 20:3n-6 than controls; controls higher than 18:2n-6, 20:5n-6, and 22:5n-3. No significant differences in levels for the remaining fatty acids were found. An inverse relationship between levels of 18:2n-6 and overall CaP risk was found. Men in the highest quartile of levels had a 38% lower risk of CaP compared with men in the lowest quartile. Levels of 18:2n-6 and 20:3n-6s (both metabolites of 182n-6) were positively correlated to CaP risk with a relative risk of 1.41 when comparing men in the highest vs. lowest quartiles. Of the n-3 fatty acids levels of each of the long-chain n-3 fatty acids were associated with a 40% lower risk of CaP. No effect aspirin and levels of long-chain fatty acids in relation to CaP risk were found.

This unique database suggests that higher levels of long-chain n-3 fatty acids which, are primarily found in marine food sources, linoleic acid, and non-hydrogenated vegetable oils are associated with a reduced risk of CaP.

Chavarro JE, Stampfer MJ, Li H, Campos H, Kurth T, Ma J

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 16(7):1364-70, July 2007 Doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-06-1033

Reported by UroToday.com Contributing Editor Christopher P. Evans, M.D.

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