Prostate cancer : confirmation preventive effects of fatty fish

The consumption of fish rich in omega- 3 fatty acids reduces the risk of prostate cancer , according to a Swedish study published in the " International Journal of Cancer ," which confirms the health benefits of products fishing .
Inequalities with respect to the risk of developing certain diseases that occur between countries can be attributed in part to dietary habits , of each. Among the substances that appear involved in this process, two omega- 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA , found in fatty fish such as salmon , herring and mackerel, are regularly cited in scientific studies .

Experimental studies carried out at the cellular level have also shown that these fatty acids could prevent the development of cancer, but the clinical level, the value of having a diet rich in omega -3 remains to be demonstrated .

A Swedish team interviewed 1,500 men with prostate cancer about their eating habits , and compared their responses to those of a control group. The results strongly support the hypothesis that omega -3 fatty acids have a preventive effect against prostate cancer , men eating fish more than once a week had a 43% reduced risk of developing disease compared to those who never consume .

The researchers also discovered that the holders of a particular variant of the COX-2 gene were the only ones to benefit from the protective effects of fatty fish. The risk of prostate cancer was reduced by 72 % and in carriers of salmon lovers gene compared to non fish eaters .

The gene would control the competition that develops between omega -3 and omega -6 for inclusion in prostaglandins. Derived omega- 3, these substances have anti -inflammatory action that may oppose the development of cancer cells ; prostaglandins derived from omega-6 , however , have the opposite effects , the researchers said.

Being devoid of the genetic variant "protector" however, should not provide men eating fish , says one of the authors of the study, Maria Hedelin . " The study shows that there is an interaction between dietary factors and our genes , but it is still difficult to determine the role played by genes. Omega- 3 fatty acids may still be attractive to men n do not have the genetic variant in a different way , " she believes .