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Role of lipids in tumorigenesis
Author(s) -
Carroll K. K.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02540826
Subject(s) - polyunsaturated fatty acid , carcinogenesis , endocrinology , medicine , colorectal cancer , carcinogen , mammary gland , polyunsaturated fat , pancreas , biology , rectum , dietary fat , cancer , physiology , saturated fat , breast cancer , cholesterol , biochemistry , fatty acid
High fat diets are associated with increased mortality from cancer at various sites, including breast, colon, rectum, prostate, ovary and pancreas. Additional evidence for this association has been obtained for some sites (e.g. mammary gland and colon) by studies on experimental animals. Dietary polyunsaturated fats increase the yield of mammary tumors in rats more effectively than saturated fats, apparently because of their higher content of essential fatty acids. Saturated and polyunsaturated fats are about equally effective in enhancing the yields of colon tumors in rats. Dietary fat appears to act as a promoter rather than an initiator of tumorigenesis, although the exact mechanisms of action are not known. Mammary tumorigenesis in rats can be inhibited by reducing the level of dietary fat after a period of promoting with a high fat diet. Decreasing the present high levels of fat in American diets might help to reduce cancer incidence and mortality.