In a new study, researchers found that eating more fish oil in daily diet is linked to the reduced risk of colon cancer.
They suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may change lipid signaling that is linked to inflammation in the body.
The research was conducted by a team from Vanderbilt University.
In the new study, the team compared fish oil with olive oil supplementation in people with a history of colorectal adenomas.
A colorectal adenoma is a benign tumor of the colon and the rectum.
The team examined levels of urinary and rectal lipid signaling molecules linked to inflammation.
They found that eating fish oil could reduce the urinary lipid signaling, but not the rectal lipid signaling overall.
In people who did not use aspirin or other NSAIDs drugs, fish oil could reduce both the urinary and rectal lipid signaling.
The finding demonstrates a modest but beneficial effect of fish oil intake on molecules linked to colon cancer development.
It supports the idea that fish oil fatty acids could have cancer prevention effects.
The team previously has found that eating fatty fish is linked to lower cancer risk.
For example, one of their studies showed that women who eat at least three servings of fish per week have a reduced risk of developing some types of colon polyps.
That study suggested that omega-3 fats in fish may reduce inflammation in the body and help protect against the development of colon polyps.
Polyps are small growths on the lining of the intestinal tract that may develop into cancer.
The team says that future work needs to find out how omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil work.
The lead author of the study is Harvey Murff, MD, MPH.
The study is published in European Journal of Cancer Prevention.
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