Gastric Cancer Risk and Erythrocyte Composition of Docosahexaenoic Acid with Anti-inflammatory Effects

Abstract

Infection with Helicobacter pylori is linked to inflammation and is the main cause of peptic ulcer, gastritis, and gastric malignancies. To examine associations between gastric cancer risk and the erythrocyte composition of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a fatty acid with antiinflammatory and apoptosis-inducing effects, here we conducted a case-control study of 179 incident gastric cancer cases and 357 noncancer controls (matched by age, sex, and season of sample collection). Dietary information and blood samples were collected from all subjects, and erythrocyte fatty acid levels were measured using accelerated solvent extraction and gas-liquid chromatography. Gastric cancer risk did not seem to be directly associated with dietary intake of fish and n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs), such as DHA, derived from fish. However, risk was inversely associated with erythrocyte compositions of n-3 HUFAs [the highest to the lowest tertile, odds ratio (OR), 0.39; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.23-0.68; P trend < 0.005] and DHA (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.28-0.79; P trend < 0.01). Particularly strong associations were noted for well-differentiated type lesions and n-3 HUFAs (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.03-0.35; P trend = 0.0005) as well as DHA (OR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.07-0.58; P trend < 0.01) values. In conclusion, the erythrocyte composition of DHA was found to be negatively linked to risk of gastric cancer, especially of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Further studies are needed to investigate mechanisms of action of DHA relevant to antitumor effects in the stomach. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(11):2406 -15)

Plasma phospholipid fatty acid concentrations and risk of gastric adenocarcinomas in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-EURGAST)

“…However, in a cross-sectional study within the EPIC cohort, the weak correlations calculated at the individual level between plasma phospholipid oleic acid and olive oil or meat intake suggested that dietary contributors of plasma oleic acid concentrations may not be strong determinants compared with endogenous hepatic synthesis, mainly in countries with low olive intake (16). Thus, an increased risk of GC associated with a high level of oleic acid along with a high ratio of MUFAs to SFAs, as previously reported in GC (26) and breast cancer (24,27,28), might be mostly related to increased desaturation of stearic acid into oleic acid rather than to a diet rich in MUFAs. Diet may also have an important effect on SCD-1 activity.…”

Docosahexaenoic Acid Inhibits Helicobacter pylori Growth In Vitro and Mice Gastric Mucosa Colonization

“…Hence, the level of fish consumption, or any other DHA-rich food for that matter, does not constitute an adequate measure of DHA gastric concentration and DHA availability to H. pylori . This point is well illustrated by the fact that although no association between fish intake and gastric cancer risk could be drawn from the Japanese population, the percentage of DHA in the membrane composition of erythrocytes was directly associated with a lower risk of developing gastric cancer [33]. These arguments may justify the lack of a positive association between H. pylori gastric colonization/gastritis and high levels of PUFA supplementation in clinical trials.…”

Omega-3 fatty acids and cancers: a systematic update review of epidemiological studies

“…However data are as yet insufficient to draw firm conclusions. (37) , Japan 2011 (43) , China For gastric cancer, a Japanese case-control study (55) Relationship to the incidence of lung cancer was not recently investigated. A rather old prospective cohort study (56) in Norway (153 cases/25,956 men and 25,496 women aged 16 -56 years) showed an inverse association with intake of cod liver oil supplement (RR: 0•5, CI: 0•3-1•0).…”