The association between fat intake and the development of certain types of cancers (like colorectal, breast, and prostate) is well known. And now, a new study has found an association between dietary fat intake and the development of skin cancers. While the data was mixed, they did find that “polyunsaturated fat intake especially omega-6 fat to be modestly and consistently associated with skin cancer risk.”1 (Perhaps because omega-6 fats create inflammation and inflammation helps to create cancer?)
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“In the prospective study, Dr. Cho and fellow researchers investigated the potential association between dietary fat intake and the risk of skin cancer including cutaneous malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) evaluating the combined data from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS 1984-2012) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS 1986-2012), two prospective studies in which the dietary information regarding the consumption of total and types of fat including saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, omega-6, and omega-3 fat and cholesterol was regularly assessed and recorded approximately every 4 years. Incident cases were identified by self-report.
A total of 794 melanoma, 2,223 SCC, and 17,556 BCC cases, and 736 melanoma, 1,756 SCC, and 13,092 BCC cases were found in the NHS and HPFS studies, respectively. No association between total fat intake and risk of skin cancer was identified in the two prospective studies. Data showed that the risk for developing SCC and BCC was associated with a higher intake of polyunsaturated fats. While the risks of SCC, BCC, and melanoma were associated with a higher omega-6 fat intake, omega-3 dietary fat intake was found to be associated with risk of BCC but not with SCC or melanoma. No other fats were associated with melanoma risk.”1
(Higher cholesterol and monounsaturated fat intake was associated with a lower risk of SCC and BCC, respectively. And associations on the whole were similar in women and men and by other skin cancer risk factors.)
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Ever wondered what you should eat if you do get cancer? Check out the video below.
Indeed, animal studies have shown that omega-6’s promote tumor growth and according to Dr. Cho, department of dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, “one theoretical biological mechanism is that omega-6 fat intake may increase pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive prostaglandin E synthase type 2 levels, which is associated with aggressive growth patterns of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).” 1
Cho warned that more study needs to be done before they can advise patients about their dietary fat intake, however, it’s a good idea to limit your polyunsaturated fat intake anyway.
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