Higher Omega 3 Levels Associated with Lower Risk of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer and little is known about how to prevent it or effectively treat it. A new study found that Japanese men who consumed higher levels of omega 3 fats from seafood had significantly lower levels of pancreatic cancer. This study followed 82,000 men and women aged 45-74 years without a history of cancer for up to 20 years.
Chronic inflammation has been recognized as a factor in the development of pancreatic cancer. Research has shown that high dosage aspirin has been associated with decreased risk of pancreatic cancer. We know that omega 3 fats (EPA and DHA) also reduce inflammation, so it would not be surprising if they showed protective effects against pancreatic cancer. Repeated insults such as smoking lead to the activation of nuclear transcription factor kB, which is involved in various inflammatory signaling pathways. It induces a number of cytokines within the pancreas, such as IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8,IL-12, and TNF-a. Indeed, a previous Italian cross-sectional study in 1123 participants showed that higher fasting plasma concentrations of EPA and DHA were inversely associated with plasma concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-alpha, independently of several confounding factors.
This study found that those Japanese men who were in the highest quartile of EPA and DHA consumption had a 30% decreased risk of pancreatic cancer compared to the lowest quartile. So take your fish oil (EPA/DHA) daily.
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/102/6/1490.abstract
