Fatty Acid Content and Tumor Growth Changes in Mice After Exposure to Extremely High-Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation and Consumption of N-3 Fatty Acids

Abstract

The topical problem is to find new, more effective and safe treatments for cancer. The purpose of the present work was to study the combined effects of low-intensity extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR) and consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on tumor growth and the content of FAs in the thymus and tumor tissue in mice. Fatty acid composition was determined using gas chromatography. Exposure of tumor-bearing mice with solid Ehrlich carcinoma to EHF EMR with effective parameters (42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm2, 20 min daily for 5 consecutive days beginning on the first day after the tumor inoculation) led to delaying the tumor growth and restored the content of almost all FAs in thymic tissue to the level of intact animals. Animal intake of the preparation enriched with n-3 PUFAs increased the content of n-3 PUFAs in thymic tissue significantly, but did not affect the tumor growth, even in combination with EHF EMR exposure. Combined action of EHF EMR exposure and n-3 preparation promoted recovery of thymus weight in tumor-bearing animals. The data obtained assume a complex interaction between the immune system and the tumor, and the important role of FAs in the regulation of this interaction.