The ratio of serum eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid and risk of cancer death in a Japanese community: The Hisayama Study.
J Epidemiol 2017;
27:578-583. [PMID:
28669629 PMCID:
PMC5623032 DOI:
10.1016/j.je.2017.01.004]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Whether the intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or arachidonic acid (AA) affects the risk of cancer remains unclear, and the association between the serum EPA:AA ratio and cancer risk has not been fully evaluated in general populations.
Methods
A total of 3098 community-dwelling subjects aged ≥40 years were followed up for 9.6 years (2002–2012). The levels of the serum EPA:AA ratio were categorized into quartiles (<0.29, 0.29–0.41, 0.42–0.60, and >0.60). The risk estimates were computed using a Cox proportional hazards model. The same analyses were conducted for the serum docosahexaenoic acid to arachidonic acid (DHA:AA) ratio and individual fatty acid concentrations.
Results
During the follow-up period, 121 subjects died of cancer. Age- and sex-adjusted cancer mortality increased with lower serum EPA:AA ratio levels (P trend<0.05). In the multivariable-adjusted analysis, the subjects in the first quartile of the serum EPA:AA ratio had a 1.93-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.15–3.22) greater risk of cancer death than those in the fourth quartile. Lower serum EPA concentrations were marginally associated with higher cancer mortality (P trend<0.11), but the serum DHA or AA concentrations and the serum DHA:AA ratio were not (all P trend>0.37). With regard to site-specific cancers, lower serum EPA:AA ratio was associated with a higher risk of death from liver cancer. However, no such associations were detected for deaths from other cancers.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that decreased level of the serum EPA:AA ratio is a significant risk factor for cancer death in the general Japanese population.
Lower serum EPA:AA ratio was significantly associated with higher cancer mortality.
The risk of death from liver cancer increased with lower serum EPA:AA ratio.
No significant association was found between serum DHA:AA ratio and cancer death.
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