but that they may have important indirect
benefit for several types of cancer. Beside
this, they may beneficially affect quality of
life, better disease outcome, and physical
activity in people with cancer.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of
abnormal cells that can arise in any organ or
tissue of the body. Whereas normal cells
grow in an orderly, controlled pattern and at
a predetermined rate, abnormal cells repro-
duce themselves endlessly even when new
cells are not needed, causing a mass of
abnormal cells (a tumor) to form. Tumors can
be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (can-
cerous). Malignant tumors like the cells they
are comprised of grow uncontrollably and
spread (metastasize) by invading other tissues
in the body. If the spread is not controlled, it
can result in death.
There are more than 100 different types of
cancer, affecting about 12 million Americans.
. .
Cancer is the second most common cause
of death in the United States, exceeded only-
by heart disease, . . ..
HOW EPA AND DHA MAY PROTECT
AGAINST CANCER
The high-fish-consuming Inuits of
Greenland not only have fewer incidences of
heart disease, but their high omega-3 intake
has also been found to lower their incidence
of cancer. The same is true of high-fish-con-
suming Inuits in Alaska. In one study of the
Alaskan Inuits, the occurrence of childhood
cancer was found to be significantly lower
compared to a North American
population. Specifically, the
incidence of neuroblas-
toma (a rare cancer of
the sympathetic nervous
system) was reduced tenfold
from a million to 800,000
(only one-tenth of its former
rate). In addition, Hodgkin's lym-
phoma, a cancer
of the lymphatic
system possibly relat-
ed to infection and
inflammation, was sig-
nificantly reduced in
this population (Lanier 2003).
Let's explore the possible
mechanisms in EPA and DHA that rnay he at
work here.
Inhibit Growth and Spread of cancer
Cells
Noting the change in incidence in breast
cancer among Japanese women who
Westernized their formerly high-fish diet,
researchers began to suspect a relationship
between decreased levels of EPA and DHA in
the body and increased risk of breast cancer.
In 1995 the body of science regarding
omcga-3 PUFAs and breast cancer was
reviewed by researchers at the University of
Kanazawa School of Medicine in Japan. They
found that ornega-3 PUFAs, primarily DHA
and EPA, suppress the formation of breast
cancer tumors and tumor cell proliferation,
although the effect of DHA may be partly
ascribed to increased amounts of EPA
derived from DHA (Noguchi, 1995).
In 1997 Japanese researchers investigated
DHA and EPA, including a series of omega-6
PUFAs for their anti-tumor and anti-metastat-
ic effects. After implanting laboratory animals
with rapidly growing colon cancer cells, the
researchers observed that EPA and DHA sig-
nificantly inhibited tumor growth at the
implantation site and substantially decreased
the numbers of nodules (lesions) that metas-
Page 63
The Willner Window Product Reference Catalog, Autumn, 2013
since 1911
• Willner Chemists •
the nutritional supplement professionals
DaVinci Labs
tasized to the animals' lungs. Treatment with
high doses of omega-6 linoleic acid (LA)
increased the numbers of lung metastatic
nodules. Interestingly, EPA and DHA only
inhibited the lung colonizations when they
were administered together with the tumor
cells, suggesting that their protective effect is
most influential when they are present in
cells before tumor cells develop.
The researchers also found that tumor cells
pretreated with fatty acids in vivo, in particu-
lar with DHA, helped to prevent the migra-
tion of cancer cells from spreading to the
lung when transferred to new hosts. Thus,
DHA treatment exerted marked antimetastat-
ic activity associated with a pronounced
change in the fatty acid component of tumor
cells. The results indicate that uptake of DHA
into tumor cells can alter tumor-cell mem-
brane characteristics and decrease the cell's
abilitv to metastasize (Iigo, 1997).
Human studies suggest that decreasing
the ratio of ornega-6 to ornega- 3 PUFAs
decreases the risk of prostate cancer from
developing and progressing. This was investi-
gated in men undergoing radical prostatec-
tomy who were randomly assigned to receive
a low-fat diet with 5 grams of fish oil daily (a
dietary omega-6/omega-3 ratio of 2:1) or a
controlled Western diet (with an omega-
6/omega-3 ratio of 15:1) for four to six weeks
prior to surgery. After the surgery, men in the
low-fat fish-oil group were found to have
fewer tumors (both less benign and cancer-
ous tissue) and slower cancer cell growth
than men consuming the Westernized diet
(Aronson. 2011).
Lower Breast cancer Risk
A 2009 study at the South Korean National
Cancer Center in Gyeonggi examined the
association between fish and omega-3 intake
with the risk of breast cancer in a case-con-
trolled study of Korean women. This study
included 358 women with breast cancer and
360 controls with no history of cancerous
tumors. The women were given a food-fre-
quency questionnaire to determine their
dietary consumption of fish (fatty and lean
flsh) and intake of EPA and DHA. The study
found that a high intake of fatty fish was
associated with a reduced risk for breast can-
cer in both pre- and postmenopausal women
(Kim, 2009).
Comparing women in the top 25 percent
of EPA intake . . . to those in the lowest 25
percent of EPA intake . . . showed a 50 per-
cent reduction in breast cancer risk. With
DHA, women in the top 25 percent of DHA
intake . . . had only 44 percent of the breast
cancer risk of those in the lowest 25 percent
. . . continued on page 67
. . . continued from page 59
SINCE 1973 TRUTH IN LABELING GMP GUARANTEED
Your Health,
Our Research
,
40 years and getting stronger.
EPA 825
Supports:
· Cardiovascular health*
· Immune system function*
· Healthy inflammatory response*
· Proper mood balance*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Yielding 825 mg EPA in a 1 gram soft gel
SUPER CRITICAL
CO
2
EXTRACTED FISH OIL
Quality verified by IFOS™ (International Fish Oil Standards).
To obtain more information or test results visit www.ifosprogram.com
IFOS™ is a Registered Trademark of Nutrasource Diagnostics Inc.