Read Full Text Mom’s Diet May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk in Daughters
Maternal or offspring consumption of omega 3 fatty acids to prevent breast cancer. Hardman, W. Elaine. Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA
Background: Maternal diets containing high amounts of omega 6 fatty acids (n-6 FAs) have been shown to increase maternal estrogen levels, increase the number of terminal end buds in the mammary glands of offspring and increase the incidence of carcinogen induced breast cancers in female offspring. Not known is the influence of incorporating omega 3 (n-3) FAs in the maternal diet or the diet of the female offspring after weaning on breast cancer development. The aim of this study was to determine if maternal or post-weaning consumption of a diet high in n-3 FAs could reduce the incidence of mammary cancer in the offspring. On a standard diet, female hemizygotes of the transgenic C3(1)/SV40 Tag mouse model develop hyperplasia in the mammary ducts by 3 months which progresses to mammary adenocarcinoma in 100% of mice by 6 months.
Methods: Female SV 129 mice were divided into two groups and placed on high n-6 FAs or high n-3 FAs diets; then were bred with male homozygous C3(1)/SV40 mice. At weaning, female offspring were placed on the high n-6 (control) or a high n-3 diet. Results: Mean plasma estrogen was reduced in mother mice that consumed the high n-3 diet and in their offspring. 100% of mammary glands of female offspring of mice that consumed the n-6 diet and were weaned to an n-6 diet had microscopic tumors by 6 months of age; less than 60% of mammary glands from female offspring with either maternal or post-weaning exposure to the high n-3 diet had microscopic tumors by 8 months of age, tumor incidence in mammary glands of female offspring with both maternal or post-weaning exposure to the high n-3 diet was 13% . Discussion: Regular consumption of n-3 fatty acids many reduce risk of breast cancer. Increased consumption of n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation may be a viable dietary means for reducing the risk of breast cancer in the next generation. Supported by a grant from the DOD Breast Cancer Research Program.
Am. Assoc. for Cancer Research annual meeting 2005