A new study in the journal Clinical & Experimental Metatasis says omega-3 fatty acids, like those typically contained in fish oil, may suppress the growth and spread of breast cancer cells in mice. Researchers observed that omega-3s stopped further delayed tumors from forming and blocked the cancerous cells from spreading to other organs in mice. Researchers speculate that this might be because of the way in which omega-3 fatty acids support the body’s immune and anti-inflammatory systems.
Researchers found the chance that the breast cancer cells would take hold in the breast glands of the adult female mice was significantly lower in those on the omega-3 diet. They observed that tumors took significantly longer to start developing in those mice, and this had an influence on their size. Khadge said that the study “emphasizes the potential therapeutic role of dietary long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in the control of tumor growth and metastasis,” but also said that this does not mean that an omega-3 diet could summarily prevent breast cancer tumors from forming altogether.