Marine ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Experimental evidence supports an antineoplastic activity of marine ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs; including eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid). However, the influence of ω-3 PUFAs on colorectal cancer (CRC) survival is unknown.

DESIGN:

Within the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, we prospectively studied CRC-specific and overall mortality in a cohort of 1659 patients with CRC according to intake of marine ω-3 PUFAs and its change after diagnosis.

RESULTS:

Higher intake of marine ω-3 PUFAs after CRC diagnosis was associated with lower risk of CRC-specific mortality (p for trend=0.03). Compared with patients who consumed <0.10 g/day of marine ω-3 PUFAs, those consuming at least 0.30 g/day had an adjusted HR for CRC-specific mortality of 0.59 (95% CI 0.35 to 1.01). Patients who increased their marine ω-3 PUFA intake by at least 0.15 g/day after diagnosis had an HR of 0.30 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.64, p for trend <0.001) for CRC deaths, compared with those who did not change or changed their intake by <0.02 g/day. No association was found between postdiagnostic marine ω-3 PUFA intake and all-cause mortality (p for trend=0.47).

CONCLUSIONS:

High marine ω-3 PUFA intake after CRC diagnosis is associated with lower risk of CRC-specific mortality. Increasing consumption of marine ω-3 PUFAs after diagnosis may confer additional benefits to patients with CRC.

• Authors: Mingyang Song, Xuehong Zhang, Jeffrey A Meyerhardt, Edward L Giovannucci, Shuji Ogino, Charles S Fuchs, Andrew T Chan
• Journal: Gut (Gut) Vol. 66 Issue 10 Pg. 1790-1796 (10 2017) ISSN: 1468-3288 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 27436272 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Chemical References

• Fatty Acids, Omega-3
• Fish Oils

Topics

• Aged
• Cause of Death
• Colorectal Neoplasms (diagnosis, mortality)
• Diet Records
• Dietary Supplements
• Fatty Acids, Omega-3 (administration & dosage)
• Female
• Fish Oils (administration & dosage)
• Health Surveys
• Humans
• Male
• Seafood
• Survival Rate
• United States (epidemiology)