Omega-3s May Lower Breast Cancer Risk Among Obese Women

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that women with dense breast tissue have a four to six times increased risk of developing breast cancer. Now, a randomized clinical trial involving 266 postmenopausal women has found an association between increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood and reduced breast density, but only among obese participants. The researchers singled out DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) as the fatty acid associated with breast density reduction and they hope to examine the effects of DHA in a trial involving obese participants known to have dense breast tissue. Researcher Dr. Andrea Manni adds, “The finding supports the idea that omega-3s, and specifically DHA, are preferentially protective in obese postmenopausal women.”
Cancer Prevention Research, December 2015