By Jimmy Downs

Sunday April 7, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study released in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences confirms the possibility that taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements may help treat or even cure cancer.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with reduced risk of a number of cancers.  According to a case report published a few years ago, taking high doses of omega-3 fatty acids cured lung cancer in an old gentleman.  In this case, the patient took daily 15 grams of DHA along with other nutrients and restricted intake of omega-6 fatty acids for a couple of months and lung cancer masses disappeared completely.

The current study led by Guodong Zhang of UC Davis and others has found that epoxy docosapentaenoic acid (EDP), a metabolite of an omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), blocks the supply of nutrients that are required for the making of new blood vessels, which cancer needs for its growth and spread.

The UC Davis scientists demonstrated that EDP inhibits angiogenesis, - the formation of new blood vessels, in animals and reduces the growth and spread of tumor in mice by inhibiting angiogenesis.

Specifically, it was found that EDP "inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2)-induced angiogenesis in mice" and "also suppresses the endothelial cell migration," which is needed for the making of new blood vessels.

On the other hand, Zhang et al. also found epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), a metabolite of arachidonic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid), has an opposite effect of EDP, meaning that the omega-6 fatty acid metabolite slightly increases angiogenesis and tumor progression in mice.

It has been known for long that a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is not nutritionally sound.   In cancer therapy, it seems that intake of omega-6 fatty acids needs to be controlled while intake of omega-3 fatty acids particularly DHA needs to be increased drastically.

Long chain omeg-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA are found in fish oil and oily fish while short chain omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods like flaxseed oil.   Fish oil is readily available on the Internet as dietary supplements.