A new study suggests that an omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexenoic acid (DHA) has a dose-and time-dependent protective effect against endometrial cancer cell proliferation, colony formation and migration. DHA was also found to promote apoptosis, programmed cell death absent in cancer cells.

Early studies have already revealed that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may help prevent hormone-responsive cancers like breast cancer.  The preventative effect of dietary n-3 PUFAs against endometrial cancer cell growth has been demonstrated in xenograft models.  In a word, evidence suggests that n-3 PUFAs may also help prevent endometrial cancer.

Evidence also suggests that n-3 PUFAs help prevent endometrial cancer by targeting rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, which is known to play an essential role in cell proliferation and endometrial tumorigenesis.  It has been demonstrated that both exogenous or endogenous n-3 PUFAs effectively suppressed mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2 in vitro and in vivo. (David Liu)

Zheng H, Tang H, Liu M, He M, Lai P, Dong H, Lin J, Jia C, Zhong M, Dai Y, Bai X, Wang L. Inhibition of endometrial cancer by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in preclinical models. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2014 May 27.