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# Saturated fat, trans fat linked to breast cancer risk
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/saturated_fat_trans_fat_linked_to_breast_cancer_risk_09102016014/
- Published: 2016-09-10T14:44:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:13:36.000Z
- Description: In a case-cohort study within the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort, women with the highest serum phospholipid saturated fatty acids were 64% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, while high dietary DPA intake was tied to up to 43% lower risk.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Saturday Sept 10, 2016 (foodconsumer.org) -- Eating too much saturated fat and trans fat may increase risk of breast cancer while eating long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may help cut the risk, according to a new study published in the *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*.

The study shows that women with high levels of serum phospholipids with saturated fatty acids were 64% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, than those with lower levels.

The positive association was also found between phospholipids with saturated fat/palmitic acid and risk of developing ER+ or PR- breast cancer and between phospholipids with n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, trans fat, trans fat 16:1 and trans fat 18:ln-7 and risk of ER-/PR- breast cancer.

On the other hand, the study finds an inverse association between risk of breast cancer and dietary docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Specifically, high intake of DPA was linked to up to 43% reduced risk of breast cancer, compared with low intake of this fatty acid.

Additionally, the study reveals that high ratio of dietary n-6 to n-3 was positively associated with risk of breast cancer, meaning that high n-6 and low n-3 can increase risk of breast cancer.

A specific dietary fatty acid called [dihomo-γ-linolenic acid](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3295719/?ref=foodconsumer.org) (DGLA) is found to be inversely associated with the risk for ER-/PR- breast cancer among older women.

The study suggests that eating saturated fat, trans fat may boost the risk of breast cancer while eating omega -3 fatty acids such as DHA DPA and EPA may lower the risk.

This case-cohort study is based on participants enrolled in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study.

Palmitic acid is found in palm oil, meat and dairy fats. Trans fat can be found in cooking oil, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and processed foods with vegetable oils (corn oil, soybean oil) added.

Long chain n-3 PUFAs like DHA, DPA and EPA are found in old water oily fish and marine algae. (David Liu)

*Julie K. Bassett, Allison M. Hodge, Dallas R. English, Robert J. MacInnis, Graham G. Giles, Plasma phospholipids fatty acids, dietary fatty acids, and breast cancer risk, Cancer Causes Control (2016) 27: 759\. doi:10.1007/s10552-016-0753-2*