Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid intakes and endometrial cancer risk in a population-based case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
Animal and laboratory studies suggest that long-chain omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat found in fatty fish, may protect against carcinogenesis, but human studies on dietary intake of polyunsaturated fats and fish with endometrial cancer risk show mixed results.


METHODS
We evaluated the associations between endometrial cancer risk and intake of fatty acids and fish in a population-based sample of 556 incident cancer cases and 533 age-matched controls using multivariate unconditional logistic regression methods.


RESULTS
Although total n-3 fatty acid intake was not associated with endometrial cancer risk, higher intakes of eicosapentaenoic (EPA 20:5) and docosahexaenoic (DHA 22:6) fatty acids were significantly associated with lower risks (OR = 0.57, 95 % CI: 0.39-0.84; OR = 0.64, 95 % CI: 0.44-0.94; respectively) comparing extreme quartiles. The ratio of n-3:n-6 fatty acids was inversely associated with risk only on a continuous scale (OR = 0.84, 95 % CI: 0.71-0.99), while total fish intake was not associated with risk. Fish oil supplement use was significantly associated with reduced risk of endometrial cancer: OR = 0.63 (95 % CI: 0.45-0.88).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that dietary intake of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA and DHA in foods and supplements may have protective associations against the development of endometrial cancer.
Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, P.O. Box 208034, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. hannah.arem@yale.edu
Hannah
H
Arem
Marian L
ML
Neuhouser
Melinda L
ML
Irwin
Brenda
B
Cartmel
Lingeng
L
Lu
Harvey
H
Risch
Susan T
ST
Mayne
Herbert
H
Yu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012306:Risk; D017747:Seafood
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005395:Fish Oils; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid