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Omega-3 fatty acids slowed growth of triple-negative breast cancer
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Omega-3 fatty acids have the potential to delay or halt the growth of triple-negative breast cancer cells, according to researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center. The findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
In a press release, scientific technician Thomas J. Pogash, BS, in the Fox Chase Cancer Center laboratory of Jose Russo, MD, said the new work underscores the important role common compounds found in food may play in fending off cancer.
“Diet can play a critical role in breast cancer prevention,” Pogash said. “When you compare a Western diet to a Mediterranean diet, which has more omega-3s, you see less cancer in the Mediterranean diet. They eat much more fish.”
Russo said no targeted therapies are currently available for patients diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. Combination chemotherapies are the standard of care for early-stage disease.
“This type of cancer, which is found more frequently in Latina and African-American women, is highly aggressive and has a low survival rate,” Russo said. “There is not any specific treatment for it.”
According to the study abstract, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) apply an anticancer effect by affecting multiple cellular mechanisms that lead to inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis.
The researchers tested the hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acids (n-3FAs) could conversely affect triple-negative breast cancer cells.
The in vitro effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and its metabolites (4-OH-DHA; 4-OXO-DHA) were tested on proliferation and motility of seven triple-negative human basal breast cell lines at different stages of transformation (MCF-10F, trMCF, bsMCF, caMCF, MDA-MB-231, Hs-578T and BT-549) and three luminal breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T-47D, and SK-BR-3), according to the abstract.
Data indicate statistical significance was assessed using t test (P<.05). Additionally, researchers reported a 20% to 90% reduction of both basal and luminal breast cancer cell lines from DHA and its metabolites. This inhibition effect was more impressive in triple-negative basal breast cancer cell lines compared with luminal breast cancer lines.
Furthermore, DHA did not produce an inhibitory effect on cell migration. However, the metabolites of DHA significantly reduced cell migration by 20% to 60% on the bsMCF cell line.
These data yield novel information on the potential benefits of DHA and its metabolites.
For more information:
Pogash TJ. Abstract #2600. Presented at: the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2013; April 6-10, 2013; Washington, D.C.
Disclosure: The study is part of a consortium between Fox Chance Cancer Center and Pennsylvania State University under a 5-year grant awarded by the Komen Foundation.