A high intake of marine omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with lower risk of microsatellite instable–high colorectal cancers, but not microsatellite stable tumors, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Investigators examined whether the association between marine omega-3 PUFAs and CRC varies by MSI or MSS-defined subtypes of tumors.
The study found that high marine omega-3 PUFA intake was associated with a lower risk of MSI-high tumors but not MSS tumors, suggesting a potential role of omega-3 PUFAs in protection against CRC through DNA mismatch repair.
However, the study authors note that "further research is needed to confirm our findings and elucidate potential underlying mechanisms."