DHA May Slow Colon Cancer Development

RENO, Nev.--Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may be useful against colon cancer, according to animal research published in the Dec. 10 issue of Cancer Letters (187, 1-2:169-77, 2002) (www.elsevier.com/locate/canlet). Researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno, fed mice one of four diets to evaluate the effect of levels and types of fat on colon tumor growth. The animals' diets were modified to contain 24-percent corn oil (high-fat), 8-percent corn oil (low-fat), menhaden oil or golden algae oil for 53 days. All animals were induced to develop colon cancer.

To determine the effects of the diets on cancer growth, researchers measured final tumor weights in each group. The animals consuming a high-fat corn oil diet had an estimated tumor weight of 2,302 mg, compared to the low-fat corn oil group, which had an estimated tumor weight of 1,681 mg. The final tumor weight of the animals in the high-fat menhaden oil group was 782 mg, representing a 66-percent decrease in growth compared to the high-fat corn oil group and a decrease of 54-percent compared to the low corn oil group. The high-fat golden algae oil group resulted in a mean final tumor weight of 223 mg, representing a 90-percent inhibition of growth compared to the low-fat corn oil group.

"These findings indicate that dietary omega-3 fatty acids possess significant tumor suppressing properties and that the primary tumor suppressing fatty acid is [DHA]," the authors wrote in their conclusion.

"The fact that a second independent animal study shows that Martek's DHA suppresses cancer activity is very encouraging," said Henry "Pete" Linsert Jr., the chairman and chief executive officer at Martek Biosciences Corp. (www.martekbio.com). The Columbia, Md.-based company provided the DHA for the study.