Recent evidence on the role of dietary PUFAs in cancer development and prevention.

Recent evidence on the role of dietary PUFAs in cancer development and prevention. Curr Med Chem. 2017 Dec 04;: Authors: D'Archivio M, Scazzocchio B, Vari R, Santangelo C, Giovannini C, Masella R Abstract During the last decades a great bulk of scientific information has been accumulated about the metabolic effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that can impact human health. In particular, a growing body of evidence from in vitro, animal, and clinical studies supporting the use of n-3 PUFAs in cancer prevention has been collected. Furthermore, a considerable effort has recently been done to evaluate the hypothesis that n-3 PUFAs might improve the efficiency of currently used anticancer drugs. The role of n-6 PUFAs, in contrast, needs to be better assessed. A high dietary intake of n-6 PUFAs has been found to be associated with an increased risk of various cancer development; however, it should be mentioned that several papers have highlighted beneficial effects of n-6 PUFAs. The effective mechanisms of action of PUFAs have not been fully clarified yet, even if the incorporation of fatty acids in cell membranes has been considered a pivotal event in modulating inflammatory processes. This review aims to report the most updated evidence on the role of n-6 and n-3 PUFAs in the development and treatment of human cancers, focusing on the potential mechanisms by which PUFAs exert their effects. Moreover, gender-associated differenc...
Source: Current Medicinal Chemistry - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Curr Med Chem Source Type: research