Omega-3 and Cancer

A just-published article in the American Journal of Epidemiology reports a very clear negative correlation between colorectal cancer and omega-3 consumption. It describes the results of a case-control study done in Scotland from 1999 to 2006. The investigators hoped to recruit all cases of colorectal cancer coming for surgery in Scotland; they managed to recruit about half of them and ended up with about 1500 “cases.” Each case was paired with a healthy control matched for age, sex, and residence. Then they compared the diets of the two groups. This is the approach that first linked smoking and lung cancer. Lung-cancer patients were more likely to smoke than other types of patients.

In the Scotland study, there was no correlation between cancer and overall fat consumption, but there was a very clear correlation with omega-3 fat consumption: more omega-3, less cancer. There was no correlation with omega-6 fat consumption. The conclusions remained the same after they combined their results with four previous similar studies.

2 thoughts on “Omega-3 and Cancer

  1. the other topic everyone should know about is vitamin D, The Canadian Cancer Society have recommended for over 18 months that everyone take vitamin D to prevent cancer. Take a look at https://www.vitaminD3UK.com for some good information. It may be very good for you health

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