Men who eat a lot of fatty fish run a lower risk of prostate cancer, concludes a new research paper from Karolinska Institutet (Sweden). The effect is likely to be attributable to the abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, although there is also a hereditary factor.

In Sweden, prostate cancer is by far the most common form of cancer; in countries such as China and Japan, it is much rarer. Just why the risk of developing the disease is country-dependent is hard to know for certain, but one reason could be differences in dietary habits. Substances that have often been identified as important in this context are EPA and DHA, two omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in abundance in fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel. In cell experiments, scientists have seen that omega-3 fatty acids can prevent the development of cancer, but the exact value of having an omega-3-rich diet remains an open question.

To find out whether omega-3 fatty acids in food affect the chances of developing cancer, scientists asked 1,500 Swedish men with diagnosed prostate cancer about their eating habits and then compared the answers with a healthy control group. The results strongly support the hypothesis of the […]