Intake of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Risk of Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Skin: a Longitudinal Community-based Study in Australian Adults

Overview

Journal Nutr Cancer

Publisher Routledge

Specialties Nutritional Sciences
Oncology

Date 2012 Sep 15

PMID 22974045

Citations 6

Authors

Sarah C Wallingford

Josephina A van As

Maria Celia Hughes

Torukiri I Ibiebele

Adele C Green

Jolieke C van der Pols

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may modify the risk of basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (BCC and SCC), but population-based evidence is limited and inconsistent. We examined prospectively associations between intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids estimated from food frequency questionnaires and BCC and SCC incidence among 1322 randomly selected adults in Nambour, Australia. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated based on histologically confirmed tumors diagnosed between 1997 and 2007. Incidence of BCC was lowest in the middle third of both total omega-6 intake (RR(mv.adj) = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.56-0.97) and linoleic acid intake (RR(mv.adj) = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.57-0.99) compared with the lowest third of intake. Evidence for associations with SCC was weak, though persons with arachidonic acid intake in the middle third had a marginally increased risk of SCC (RR(mv.adj) = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.00-2.02). Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids was not associated with subsequent skin cancer risk. Suggestion that intake of arachidonic acid may be associated with increased SCC incidence and total omega-6 with reduced BCC from our study is still highly uncertain and may be due to chance. These data do not support an association between these fatty acids and risk of BCC or SCC.

Citing Articles

The Role of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods in Skin Cancer: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential.

Peterle L, Sanfilippo S, Borgia F, Li Pomi F, Vadala R, Costa R Foods. 2023; 12(13).

PMID: 37444367 PMC: 10341090. DOI: 10.3390/foods12132629.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Levels and the Risk of Keratinocyte Cancer: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

Seviiri M, Law M, Ong J, Gharahkhani P, Nyholt D, Olsen C Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2021; 30(8):1591-1598.

PMID: 34088753 PMC: 9306272. DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-20-1765.

Daily Lifestyle and Cutaneous Malignancies.

Sawada Y, Nakamura M Int J Mol Sci. 2021; 22(10).

PMID: 34069297 PMC: 8156459. DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105227.

N-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Risk of Cancer: Accumulating Evidence from Prospective Studies.

Kim Y, Kim J Nutrients. 2020; 12(9).

PMID: 32825393 PMC: 7551408. DOI: 10.3390/nu12092523.

Fat Intake and Risk of Skin Cancer in U.S. Adults.

Park M, Li W, Qureshi A, Cho E Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2018; 27(7):776-782.

PMID: 29636341 PMC: 6035072. DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0782.

References

Marcil I, Stern R . Risk of developing a subsequent nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer: a critical review of the literature and meta-analysis. Arch Dermatol. 2000; 136(12):1524-30. DOI: 10.1001/archderm.136.12.1524. View

Green A, Beardmore G, Hart V, Leslie D, Marks R, Staines D . Skin cancer in a Queensland population. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1988; 19(6):1045-52. DOI: 10.1016/s0190-9622(88)70270-4. View

Green A, Battistutta D, Hart V, Leslie D, Weedon D . Skin cancer in a subtropical Australian population: incidence and lack of association with occupation. The Nambour Study Group. Am J Epidemiol. 1996; 144(11):1034-40. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a008875. View

van Dam R, Huang Z, Giovannucci E, Rimm E, Hunter D, Colditz G . Diet and basal cell carcinoma of the skin in a prospective cohort of men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000; 71(1):135-41. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/71.1.135. View

Jackson M, McArdle F, Storey A, Jones S, McArdle A, Rhodes L . Effects of micronutrient supplements on u.v.-induced skin damage. Proc Nutr Soc. 2002; 61(2):187-9. DOI: 10.1079/PNS2002158. View

Marks G, Hughes M, van der Pols J . Relative validity of food intake estimates using a food frequency questionnaire is associated with sex, age, and other personal characteristics. J Nutr. 2006; 136(2):459-65. DOI: 10.1093/jn/136.2.459. View

Ashton B, Ambrosini G, Marks G, HARVEY P, Bain C . Development of a dietary supplement database. Aust N Z J Public Health. 1998; 21(7):699-702. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-842x.1997.tb01783.x. View

Green A, Williams G, Neale R, Hart V, Leslie D, Parsons P . Daily sunscreen application and betacarotene supplementation in prevention of basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinomas of the skin: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 1999; 354(9180):723-9. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(98)12168-2. View

Fischer M, Black H . Modification of membrane composition, eicosanoid metabolism, and immunoresponsiveness by dietary omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid sources, modulators of ultraviolet-carcinogenesis. Photochem Photobiol. 1991; 54(3):381-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1991.tb02031.x. View

10.

Reeve V, Bosnic M . Dependence of photocarcinogenesis and photoimmunosuppression in the hairless mouse on dietary polyunsaturated fat. Cancer Lett. 1996; 108(2):271-9. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3835(96)04460-6. View

11.

Black H, Thornby J, Gerguis J, Lenger W . Influence of dietary omega-6, -3 fatty acid sources on the initiation and promotion stages of photocarcinogenesis. Photochem Photobiol. 1992; 56(2):195-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1992.tb02147.x. View

12.

Rhodes L, Shahbakhti H, Azurdia R, Moison R, Steenwinkel M, Homburg M . Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on UVR-related cancer risk in humans. An assessment of early genotoxic markers. Carcinogenesis. 2003; 24(5):919-25. DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgg038. View

13.

Liu G, Bibus D, Bode A, Ma W, Holman R, Dong Z . Omega 3 but not omega 6 fatty acids inhibit AP-1 activity and cell transformation in JB6 cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001; 98(13):7510-5. PMC: 34699. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.131195198. View

14.

Levitan E, Wolk A, Mittleman M . Fish consumption, marine omega-3 fatty acids, and incidence of heart failure: a population-based prospective study of middle-aged and elderly men. Eur Heart J. 2009; 30(12):1495-500. PMC: 2695952. DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehp111. View

15.

Calabrese E, Baldwin L . U-shaped dose-responses in biology, toxicology, and public health. Annu Rev Public Health. 2001; 22:15-33. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.22.1.15. View

16.

Black H, Rhodes L . The potential of omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of non-melanoma skin cancer. Cancer Detect Prev. 2006; 30(3):224-32. DOI: 10.1016/j.cdp.2006.04.008. View

17.

Gardner W, Mulvey E, SHAW E . Regression analyses of counts and rates: Poisson, overdispersed Poisson, and negative binomial models. Psychol Bull. 1995; 118(3):392-404. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.118.3.392. View

18.

Raasch B, Buettner P . Multiple nonmelanoma skin cancer in an exposed Australian population. Int J Dermatol. 2002; 41(10):652-8. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2002.01573.x. View

19.

Valery P, Neale R, Williams G, Pandeya N, Siller G, Green A . The effect of skin examination surveys on the incidence of basal cell carcinoma in a Queensland community sample: a 10-year longitudinal study. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2004; 9(2):148-51. DOI: 10.1046/j.1087-0024.2003.09114.x. View

20.

van der Pols J, Hughes M, Ibiebele T, Marks G, Green A . Food intake and risk of basal cell carcinoma in an 11-year prospective study of Australian adults. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010; 65(1):39-46. DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.229. View