How Does Omega-3 Affect Breast Cancer Risk?

Administering omega-3 fatty acids to obese women could help reduce the risk of breast cancer of patients in this group, according to a new study.

A team including researchers from Hershey Medical Center, Emory University, and Pennsylvania State College of Medicine write that the role of n-3FA in breast cancer prevention is “controversial,” and note that pre-clinical and epidemiologic data suggest that omega-3 fatty acids “may be preferentially protective in obese subjects.
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In an effort to directly test the protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3FA) against breast cancer, researchers conducted a 2-year, open-label, randomized clinical trial in 266 healthy post-menopausal women with high breast density detected on their routine screening mammograms. Eligible women were randomized to 1 of 5 groups. A control group received no treatment, while 1 group received the prescription omega-3 drug Lovaza, and another received 30 mg of Raloxifene combined with 4 gm of Lovaza. The remaining two groups received differing dosages of the anti-estrogen drug Raloxifene (60 mg and 30 mg). The 2-year change in breast density—a validated biomarker of breast cancer risk—was the primary endpoint of the study.

After 2 years, the researchers noted a connection between upping the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood and reduced breast density. This link was only found, however, among the 20% of participants who were classified as obese. The investigators pinpointed docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as the fatty acid associated with breast density reduction, and plan to conduct a trial including obese participants to examine DHA’s effect on its own.  

Ultimately, the results “suggest that obese women may preferentially experience breast cancer risk reduction from n-3FA administration,” the authors write.

—Mark McGraw

Reference

Sandhu N, Schetter S, et al. Influence of obesity on breast density reduction by omega-3 fatty acids: Evidence from a randomized clinical trial. Cancer Prevention Research. 2015.