Red Blood Cell Fatty Acids and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

A growing body of evidence suggests that alterations of dietary fatty acid (FA) profiles are associated with colorectal cancer risk. However, data from large-scale epidemiologic studies using circulating FA measurements to objectively assess individual FA and FA categories are scarce.

METHODS:

We investigate the association between red blood cell (RBC) membrane FAs and risk of colorectal cancer in a case-control study nested within a large prospective cohort. After a median follow-up of 6.4 years, 1,069 incident colorectal cancer cases were identified and matched to 1,069 controls among participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). The FA composition of RBC phospholipids (in mol%) was analyzed by gas chromatography, and their association with risk of colorectal cancer was estimated by multivariable adjusted conditional logistic regression models.

RESULTS:

After correction for multiple testing, subjects with higher concentrations of RBC stearic acid were at higher risk for colorectal cancer (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.07-1.42, per 1 mol%). Conversely, colorectal cancer incidence decreased with increasing proportions of RBC n-3 PUFA, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (0.75; 0.62-0.92, per 1 mol%). The findings for the n-6 PUFA arachidonic acid were inconsistent.

CONCLUSIONS:

The positive association between prediagnostic RBC stearic acid and colorectal cancer reflects putative differences in FA intake and metabolism between cancer cases and matched controls, which deserve further investigation. The inverse relationship between EPA and colorectal cancer is in line with the repeatedly reported protective effect of fish consumption on colorectal cancer risk.

IMPACT:

These findings add to the evidence on colorectal cancer prevention.

• Authors: Jakob Linseisen, Nina Grundmann, Dorothee Zoller, Tilman Kühn, Eugène H J M Jansen, Veronique Chajès, Veronika Fedirko, Elisabete Weiderpass, Christina C Dahm, Kim Overvad, Anne Tjønneland, Marie-Christine Boutron-Ruault, Joseph A Rothwell, Gianluca Severi, Rudolf Kaaks, Matthias B Schulze, Krasimira Aleksandrova, Sabina Sieri, Salvatore Panico, Rosario Tumino, Giovanna Masala, Laura De Marco, Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, Roel Vermeulen, Inger T Gram, Guri Skeie, María-Dolores Chirlaque, Eva Ardanaz, Antonio Agudo, Maria-José Sánchez, Pilar Amiano, Maria Wennberg, Stina Bodén, Aurora Perez-Cornago, Elom K Aglago, Marc J Gunter, Mazda Jenab, Alicia K Heath, Alexandra Nieters
• Journal: Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev) Vol. 30 Issue 5 Pg. 874-885 (05 2021) ISSN: 1538-7755 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 33619024 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: ©2021 American Association for Cancer Research.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
• Stearic Acids

Topics

• Aged
• Biomarkers, Tumor (blood)
• Case-Control Studies
• Colorectal Neoplasms (blood, epidemiology)
• Europe (epidemiology)
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated (blood)
• Female
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nutrition Assessment
• Risk Factors
• Stearic Acids (blood)