Omega-3 fatty acid intake and decreased risk of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Organ transplant recipients have over 100-fold higher risk of developing skin cancer than the general population and are in need of further preventive strategies. We assessed the possible preventive effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake from food on the two main skin cancers, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in kidney and liver transplant recipients.

METHODS:

Adult kidney or liver transplant recipients transplanted for at least 1 year and at high risk of skin cancer were recruited from the main transplant hospital in Queensland, 2012-2014 and followed until mid-2016. We estimated their dietary total long-chain omega-3 PUFAs and α-linolenic acid intakes at baseline using a food frequency questionnaire and ranked PUFA intakes as low, medium, or high. Relative risks (RRsadj) of skin cancer adjusted for confounding factors with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

RESULTS:

There were 449 transplant recipients (mean age, 55 years; 286 (64%) male). During follow-up, 149 (33%) patients developed SCC (median 2/person; range 1-40) and 134 (30%), BCC. Transplant recipients with high total long-chain omega-3 PUFA compared with low intakes showed substantially reduced SCC tumour risk (RRadj 0.33, 95% CI 0.18-0.60), and those with high α-linolenic acid intakes experienced significantly fewer BCCs (RRadj 0.40, 95% CI 0.22-0.74). No other significant associations were seen.

CONCLUSION:

Among organ transplant recipients, relatively high intakes of long-chain omega-3 PUFAs and of α-linolenic acid may reduce risks of SCC and BCC, respectively.

• Authors: Kyoko Miura, Mandy Way, Zainab Jiyad, Louise Marquart, Elsemieke I Plasmeijer, Scott Campbell, Nicole Isbel, Jonathan Fawcett, Lisa E Ferguson, Marcia Davis, David C Whiteman, H Peter Soyer, Peter O'Rourke, Adèle C Green
• Journal: European journal of nutrition (Eur J Nutr) Vol. 60 Issue 4 Pg. 1897-1905 (Jun 2021) ISSN: 1436-6215 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 32909136 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Fatty Acids, Omega-3

Topics

• Adult
• Fatty Acids, Omega-3
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Organ Transplantation
• Queensland (epidemiology)
• Skin Neoplasms (epidemiology, etiology, prevention & control)
• Transplant Recipients