RB--study re fatty acid ratios and breast cancer in Japanese population

[Lani]

Int J Cancer. 2007 Mar 12; [Epub ahead of print]
Breast cancer risk and erythrocyte compositions of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids in Japanese.

Kuriki K,
Hirose K,
Wakai K,
Matsuo K,
Ito H,
Suzuki T,
Hiraki A,
Saito T,
Iwata H,
Tatematsu M,
Tajima K.
Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, 1-1 Kanokoden, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8681, Japan.
Dietary intake of fish rich in n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs), such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has been proposed to decrease cancer risk. In contrast to results from laboratory studies, however, protective effects for breast cancer have proved equivocal in epidemiological studies. In the present case-control study, we examined associations between breast cancer risk and fatty acid compositions in erythrocyte membranes as biomarkers for those intakes. Dietary information and blood samples were collected from 103 incident breast cancer cases and 309 non-cancer controls (matched by age and season) and erythrocyte fatty acids were measured using accelerated solvent extraction and gas-liquid chromatography. Dietary intake of n-3 HUFAs demonstrated a negative association with risk (the highest to the lowest tertile, odds ratio (OR), 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.27-0.98; p(trend) < 0.05), but there was no association with those of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and meat. Moreover, risk was inversely associated with erythrocyte compositions of EPA (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.14-0.53; p(trend) < 0.0001), DHA (OR, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.02-0.16; p(trend) < 0.0001) and n-3 HUFAs (OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.05-0.24; p(trend) < 0.0001), and positively with that of SFAs (OR, 12.29; 95% CI, 4.94-30.57; p(trend) < 0.0001) and the ratio of SFAs/n-3 HUFAs (OR, 14.65; 95% CI, 5.67-37.82; p(trend) < 0.0001). In conclusion, we showed that erythrocyte compositions of specific fatty acids derived from fish intake, as biomarkers, are associated with lower risk of breast cancer, but further studies are needed to investigate mechanisms linked to the etiology. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PMID: 17354239 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

[R.B.]

Many thanks for this Lani.

This ties up in general terms with a french trial also based on biopsies.

I will try and see if the whole report is available.

I wish they would measure omega sixes at the same time, and do larger scale trials of a similar nature.

From my general reading when I had the time! it appears the Japanese both eat more fish and supplement processed foods with omega three to a greater extent that we do in the west.


Again very many thanks and I hope you are able to keep up your wonderful informative posts.


RB