Omega-3 fatty acids inhibiting the growth of a transplantable rat mammary adenocarcinoma.
BN/Bi inbred female rats fed diets containing different amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, either of the omega-3 or omega-6 type, each received an implant of a syngeneic mammary adenocarcinoma. When the diameter of the tumors reached 20 mm, they were surgically removed; 2 weeks thereafter the animals were sacrificed and lung metastases were counted. Cellular immune response was determined before tumor inoculation; certain prostaglandin values in plasma and platelet aggregation were measured before and after tumor inoculation. Plasma prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 values were significantly decreased in those rats fed a diet containing menhaden oil. 6-Keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, cellular immune response, and platelet function were not significantly different in either one of the diet groups. Tumor growth in the groups of rats receiving the omega-3 fatty acids in their diet was significantly inhibited in comparison with that in the rats receiving the omega-6 fatty acids. However, the number of metastases was not significantly altered.
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000097:blood
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D011453:Prostaglandins; D013929:Thromboxane B2