Prostate cancer risk ‘could be reduced’ by eating oily fish
The risk of developing prostate cancer could be reduced by 60 per cent in men who eat oily fish once a week, a study has found.
Omega-3 fatty acids were also found to protect against an inherited variant of the COX-2 gene, known to increase the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
Previous studies have shown that omega-3 can protect against prostate cancer, but this is the first to show an interaction with COX-2, said Dr John Witte, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco.
He added: "The COX-2 increased risk of disease was essentially reversed by increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake by a half a gram per day."
Eating dark fish such as salmon one or more times a week produced the strongest protective effect, the study concluded.
Prostate cancer is the commonest form of cancer in men in the UK, with 35,000 new diagnoses every year, according to the Prostate Cancer Charity.
The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with prostate cancer.
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