Erythrocyte Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Mammographic Breast Density

Abstract

Diets low in omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and high in omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs may protect against breast cancer development. Associations of PUFA intake with mammographic density, an intermediate marker of breast cancer risk, have been inconsistent; however, prior studies have relied on self-reported dietary PUFA intake. We examined the association between circulating erythrocyte n-6 and n-3 PUFAs with mammographic density in 248 postmenopausal women who were not taking exogenous hormones. PUFAs in erythrocytes were measured by gas-liquid chromatography, and mammographic density was assessed quantitatively by planimetry. Spearman’s correlation coefficients and generalized linear models were used to evaluate the relationships between PUFA measures and mammographic density. None of the erythrocyte n-6 or n-3 PUFA measures were associated with percent density or dense breast area.

Low-dose aspirin use and survival in breast cancer patients: A nationwide cohort study

“…The potential anti-cancer effect of aspirin has been hypothesised to be, in part, mediated through suppression of oestrogen biosynthesis [35,36], but similar to our study, two previous cohort studies found no difference in associations by hormone receptor status [10,17].…”

Modulation of Breast Cancer Risk Biomarkers by High-Dose Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Phase II Pilot Study in Premenopausal Women

“…Whether this was due to the omega-3 supplementation, aging (44), or chance cannot be ascertained since there was no placebo group. A recent cross-sectional study did not find an association between erythrocyte fatty acid composition and mammographic density (45). …”

“…However, similar to findings in preclinical models, EPA and DHA ethyl ester supplementation was observed to decrease cyclin D1 and bcl2, which are downstream from NF-κB and AKT. This suggests a decrease in NF-κB nuclear translocation impairing nuclear signaling (16, 45). Whether this might be due in turn to a reduction in eicosanoid intermediates (we did not measure) or changes in lipid raft structure is uncertain.…”

Modulation of Breast Cancer Risk Biomarkers by High-Dose Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Phase II Pilot Study in Postmenopausal Women

“…Whether this was due to the omega-3 supplementation, aging [43], or chance cannot be ascertained since there was no placebo group. A recent cross sectional study did not find an association between erythrocyte fatty acid composition and mammographic density [44]. …”

“…However, similar to findings in preclinical models, EPA and DHA ethyl ester supplementation was observed to decrease cyclin D1 and bcl2 which are downstream from NFκB and AKT. This suggests a decrease in NFkB nuclear translocation impairing nuclear signaling [16, 44]. Whether this might be due in turn to a reduction in eicosanoid intermediates (we did not measure) or changes in lipid raft structure is uncertain.…”