Abstract
In this review, the influence of dietary fat on the development of cancer is discussed. In epidemiological studies, a relationship between dietary fat and breast cancer has been found in correlational studies, but prospective studies do not support a role for dietary fat. Prospective epidemiological studies examining the role of dietary fat in the development of colon, pancreatic, and prostate cancers have produced conflicting results. The Women’s Health Initiative intervention studies did not show any statistically significant effects of dietary fat on the development of either colon or breast cancer in women. In experimental studies, dietary fat generally enhances chemically-induced skin, liver, pancreatic, and mammary carcinogenesis, whereas conflicting results have been observed in colon carcinogenesis. Dietary fat appears to act primarily during the promotional stage of carcinogenesis in all of these models except the liver, where the effect of dietary fat is primarily on initiation.
Highlights
Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death in the United States
A combined analysis of many of these prospective studies did not find any evidence of a link between total dietary fat intake and breast cancer risk, an elevated risk was observed with higher consumption of polyunsaturated fat [111]
Strouch et al [198] found that increasing dietary n-3 fatty acids inhibited precancerous lesions similar to PanINs in elastase-mutant Kras transgenic mice
Summary
Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death in the United States. One of the primary mechanisms for reducing cancer deaths is by altering the diet, and one proposed way is by decreasing the consumption of dietary fat. The role of dietary fat on the development of human and experimental cancer will be discussed. Numerous epidemiological and experimental animal studies have examined the effect of dietary fat on human cancer. Several correlational studies have noted an increase in the rates of colon, breast, and other cancers in areas where dietary fat consumption is high [2]. Studies with immigrant populations have identified dietary fat intake as a causative factor in the development of these cancers [2]
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