Abstract
The association between omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids and prostate cancer has been widely studied. However, little is known about the impact of prostate tissue fatty acid content on prostate cancer progression. We hypothesized that compared with the estimated dietary ω-3 fatty acids intake and the ω-3 fatty acids levels measured in red blood cells (RBC), the prostate tissue ω-3 fatty acid content is more strongly related to prostate cancer progression. We present the initial observations from baseline data of a phase II clinical trial conducted in a cohort of 48 untreated men affected with low-risk prostate cancer, managed under active surveillance. These men underwent a first repeat biopsy session within 6 months after the initial diagnosis of low-risk prostate cancer, at which time 29% of the men had progressed from a Gleason score of 6 to a Gleason score of 7. At the first repeat biopsy session, fatty acid levels were assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire, and determined in the RBC and in the prostate tissue biopsy. We found that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer progression when measured directly in the prostate tissue. Thus, this initial interim study analysis suggests that prostate tissue ω-3 fatty acids, especially EPA, may be protective against prostate cancer progression in men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Highlights
In prostate cancer, inflammation is suspected to trigger cancer progression [1]
The study, conducted in 120 participants, focuses on men diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer under active surveillance, to assess the impact on prostate tissue of a dietary intervention performed by a nutritionist versus use of dutasteride, a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (5a-RI) drug commonly prescribed for benign prostate hypertrophy [23, 24] and low-risk prostate cancer during active surveillance [25, 26]
We found that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may be protective against prostate cancer progression when measured in the prostatic tissue
Summary
Inflammation is suspected to trigger cancer progression [1]. At least partly due to their antiinflammatory properties, omega-3 (w-3) fatty acids are proposed to have anticancer actions [2]. W-3 and omega-6 (w-6) fatty acids are converted by the same enzymes, but the conversion of w-6 fatty acids leads to eicosanoids with proinflammatory properties [3]. W-3 fatty acids may contribute to fight prostate cancer as it was shown to influence androgen metabolism [6]. A recent study has shown that dietary w-3 does not influence the expression level of cyclooxygenase-2 [5], other evidences show that an increasing tissue level of w-3 fatty acids may lead to a shift in the w-6/w-3 ratio, resulting in a higher synthesis of w-3 fatty acid–derived eicosanoids and decreased tissue inflammation. These findings have led to extensive clinical studies on the links between w-3 and w-6 fatty acids and cancer, including prostate cancer
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