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Table 2 Effects of dietary fatty acids on breast cancer risk

From: Role of dietary fatty acids in mammary gland development and breast cancer

Fat type

Effect

Reference

SFA

Increased risk of BC

[13, 95]

 

Compromise cell response to DNA damage

[94]

TFA

Positively associated with mammary tumors

[14]

 

Effect similar to cis fats on BC

[96]

 

Conjugated linoleic acid supplements inhibit cancer cell growth

[97, 98]

MUFA

Increased risk of BC

[13]

 

Oleic acid suppresses HER2 in BC cells

[54]

n-6 PUFA

Promote mammary tumor growth

[13]

 

Increased cell proliferation in mammary gland

[16]

 

Protumorigenic in mammary gland

[16, 46]

 

Increased circulating estrogenic compound levels

[27]

 

Promote tumorigenesis via inflammation

[29, 56]

 

Positively associated with HER2 oncogene

[52, 57]

n-3 PUFA

Decreased circulating estrogenic compound levels

[27]

 

Decreased mammary tumor incidence/growth rate (low-fat dose)

[46]

 

Increased tumor cell proliferation and growth rate (high-fat dose)

[46]

 

Decreased BC cell growth

[51–53]

 

Inhibit HER2 expression

[57]

 

Inhibit mammary tumor growth

[58, 59]

 

Increased apoptosis

[62]

 

Decreased tumor growth rate

[63]

 

Decreased tumor cell proliferation; increased apoptosis

[67–70]

 

Increased syndecan-1 synthesis

[74]

 

Decreased premenopausal/postmenopausal BC risk

[80, 85–89]

 

Fish oil consumption decreased BC risk

[86]

ALA

Strongly suppresses HER2 and mammary carcinoma

[52]

 

Promotes regression of estrogen receptor+ MCF-7 cancer

[60]

 

Significantly slows tumor growth rate

[61]

 

Inversely associated with BC risk (natural sources)

[99]

 

Positively associated with BC risk (processed sources)

[99]

EPA

Slows mammary tumor growth rate

[53]

 

Inhibits lung metastases; decreased eicosanoids

[64]

 

Suppresses cell proliferation in MCF-7 cells

[76]

DHA

Enhances treatment effect of taxanes

[51]

 

Reduces cell viability in some cancer cell lines

[51]

 

Downregulation of HER2

[52]

 

Higher tumor regression than other n-3 PUFA

[77]

  1. ALA, α-linolenic acid; BC, breast cancer; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2; MUFA, monounsaturated fatty acids; n-3 PUFA, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; n-6 PUFA, omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids; SFA, saturated fatty acids; TFA, trans fatty acids.
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Breast Cancer Research

ISSN: 1465-542X

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