Omega-3 fatty acids good for oral and skin cancers

Omega-3 fatty acids good for oral and skin cancers

Here’s news for the fish lovers! The Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish like the one on salmon and trout slows down the growth and causes cell death of malignant and pre-malignant cells in the early and later state of oral and skin cancers.
The scientists from Queen Mary University of London have found out that Omega-3 fatty acids caused cell death in malignant and pre-malignant cells at doses which did not affect normal cells. The study suggests that the Omega-3 fatty acids have the potential to be used in the treatment and prevention of certain skin and oral cancers. The notable point is that the Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids cannot be produced by humans in large quantities and must be acquired from diet only.

Squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) is a major form of skin cancer which occurs in the lining of digestive tract, lungs and other areas of the body. Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) are the 6^th most common cancer worldwide – difficult and expensive to treat.

The scientists grew cell cultures in the lab from several different cell lines to which they added fatty acids. The cell lines included both malignant oral and skin SCCs along with premalignant cells and normal skin oral cells. The result was that the Omega-3 fatty acid selectively inhibited the growth of the malignant and pre-malignant cells at doses which did not affect the normal cells.