Eating oily fish ‘may help block advance of prostate cancer’

A DIET rich in fish such as salmon and mackerel could cut the spread of prostate cancer, scientists said yesterday.

A study found that the omega 3 fats found in oily fish could hamper the ability of prostate cancer cells to move elsewhere in the body.

The scientists said that the fats appeared to combat the effect of omega 6, found in nuts and seeds, which increased the spread of cells.

Prostate cancer is at its most dangerous when tumour cells from the prostate gland migrate and invade other parts of the body, such as the bone marrow.

The latest study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, suggests that increasing omega 3 in the diet protects men from developing this more aggressive form of disease.

But experts pointed out the experiments were only carried out in the laboratory and large population studies were now needed.

The study, funded by St Andrews-based charity the Association for International Cancer Research and the Medical Research Council, focused on omega 3 and omega 6 – the two main groups of polyunsaturated fatty acids in people’s diet.

The researchers, from the Paterson Institute at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, found that the two had very different effects on cancer cells.

Chief scientist Dr Mick Brown said: “Omega 6 fats, found in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, increased the spread of tumour cells into bone marrow.

“This invasion was blocked by omega 3 fats – the ones found in oily fish.

“It is possible to have a healthy balance of these two types of fat – we only need about half as much omega 3 as omega 6 – that will still stop cancer cells from spreading.”

Noel Clarke, a consultant urologist at the Christie Hospital, said they believed tumours may exploit the omega 6 fats as a high energy source – giving them the energy they need to maintain a high growth rate.

The Food Standards Agency recommends men can eat up to four portions, each of around 140g, of oily fish a week, with up to two for women.

Professor John Toy, Cancer Research UK’s medical director, said while diet was a factor in many types of cancer, its potential role in prostate cancer was not yet fully clear.