Omega-3, omega-6 and total dietary polyunsaturated fat on cancer incidence: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials

Hanson, Sarah ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4751-8248, Thorpe, Gabrielle ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0639-4229, Winstanley, Lauren, Abdelhamid, Asmaa S. and Hooper, Lee ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7904-3331 and PUFAH group (2020) Omega-3, omega-6 and total dietary polyunsaturated fat on cancer incidence: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. British Journal of Cancer, 122 (8). pp. 1260-1270. ISSN 0007-0920

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Abstract

Background: The relationship between long-chain omega-3 (LCn3), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), omega-6 and total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intakes and cancer risk is unclear. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, CENTRAL and trials registries for RCTs comparing higher with lower LCn3, ALA, omega-6 and/or total PUFA, that assessed cancers over ≥12 months. Random-effects meta-analyses, sensitivity analyses, subgrouping, risk of bias and GRADE were used. Results: We included 47 RCTs (108,194 participants). Increasing LCn3 has little or no effect on cancer diagnosis (RR1.02, 95% CI 0.98–1.07), cancer death (RR0.97, 95% CI 0.90–1.06) or breast cancer diagnosis (RR1.03, 95% CI 0.89–1.20); increasing ALA has little or no effect on cancer death (all high/moderate-quality evidence). Increasing LCn3 (NNTH 334, RR1.10, 95% CI 0.97–1.24) and ALA (NNTH 334, RR1.30, 95% CI 0.72–2.32) may slightly increase prostate cancer risk; increasing total PUFA may slightly increase risk of cancer diagnosis (NNTH 125, RR1.19, 95% CI 0.99–1.42) and cancer death (NNTH 500, RR1.10, 95% CI 0.48–2.49) but total PUFA doses were very high in some trials. Conclusions: The most extensive systematic review to assess the effects of increasing PUFAs on cancer risk found increasing total PUFA may very slightly increase cancer risk, offset by small protective effects on cardiovascular diseases.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: fatty acids, omega-3,fatty acids, omega-6,cancer,breast cancer,prostate cancer,meta-analysis,fatty acids, unsaturated,randomised controlled trial,oncology,cancer research,sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2730
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Health Sciences
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Promotion
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Services and Primary Care
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023)
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > UEA Hydrate Group
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 28 Jan 2020 03:53
Last Modified: 17 Nov 2024 07:30
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/73820
DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-0761-6

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