Breast Cancer, Omega-3 Dha May Regulate Inflammation

There is an important component in the nutritional support for women with breast cancer who helps regulate systemic inflammation and restoration of tissue balance. This is the acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), omega-3 in the form of a supplement marine origin subject of research conducted at the Sapienza University of Rome, whose results, published in the journal Cancers, show how DHA increases the levels of molecules that they counteract the inflammation typical of tumors, with different effects based on genetic profile. The intake of DHA, essential for proper functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular and immune systems, determines the production of molecules called 'resolvins' D1 and D2 which act as specialized mediators, 'firefighters' who take action to to turn off systemic inflammation and to regulate recovery of tissue balance. "We observed that women with breast cancer with Brca1 and Brca2 mutation after DHA administration showed a significant increase of the levels of resolvins", explains Maurizio Muscaritoli, Senior Author of the study and President of the Italian Society of clinical nutrition. "On the contrary, women with a history family history of cancer but without mutation did not record the same increase. These preliminary results suggest How DHA supplementation may influence inflammation in differently depending on the tumor subtype and profile individual genetics". Patients showed plasma levels of resolvin D1 equal to 21.3 vs 7.3 pg/mL compared to baseline, but without significant differences in resolvin D2. In women with Brca1 or Brca2 mutation showed a 185% increase for resolvin D1 and 101% for resolvin D2. "This study represents an important step in the evolution of medicine of precision applied to clinical nutrition - explains Alessio Molfino, first signature of the research - The approach illustrates how modern clinical nutrition can potentially integrate with conventional oncological therapies as support complementary, acting on the molecular mechanisms of the disease".