TUESDAY, April 9, 2013 — Omega-3 fatty acids can do more than ward off heart disease and strokes – scientists have discovered the fatty acids may also help stop or slow the spread of an aggressive and often deadly form of breast cancer.
Researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia presented their data at the American Academy of Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Washington DC. In a lab study, the researchers tested the effect of omega-3s on triple-negative breast cancer cells and other types of breast cancer cells. They found that omega-3 fatty acids stopped or slowed the growth of all types of breast cancer cells, but worked best against triple-negative cell lines, reducing growth by as much as 90 percent, according to a press release.
Triple-negative breast cancer is breast cancer that is not fueled by progesterone, estrogen, or a protein called HER2/neu, and therefore is resistant to traditional treatments like trastuzumab and tamoxifen that target hormone-positive breast cancers.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish like sardines and salmon, and also in oils from plants like hemp and flax. Prior studies found these compounds can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and even program cancer cell death, according to a press release.
The Fox Chase study showed that diet can help keep cancer at bay, said study author Thomas J. Pogash, BS, a scientific technician in the cancer center lab.
"Diet can play a critical role in breast cancer prevention," said Pogash. "When you compare a western diet to a Mediterranean diet, which has more omega-3s, you see less cancer in the Mediterranean diet. They eat much more fish."
This study is part of a consortium between Fox Chase Cancer Center and Pennsylvania State University under a five-year grant awarded by the Komen Foundation. Andrea Manni, MD, leader of the Penn State team, has extended the research on anticancer effects of omega-3s to mice.
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
There are currently no targeted therapies for patients with triple-negative breast cancer — the main treatment option is combination chemotherapy for those diagnosed in the early stages of the disease.
This type of cancer, which is most frequently found in minority women, is highly aggressive and has a low survival rate. A recent study found that black women with breast cancer are more likely to die than white women with breast cancer, in part because the black are more likely to develop triple-negative breast cancer.