ALOX15

Today, fish oil supplements may not work for certain cancer patients.

ALOX15 loss, which is common in colorectal tumors, impairs the cancer-preventative effects of fish oil.

About 19 million American adults consume dietary fish oil supplements.

These supplements, which primarily consist of omega-3 fatty acids, are widely used as a remedy for chronic diseases.

However, the effects of EPA and DHA supplementation on cancer risk have been inconsistent.

In a study, a team of researchers from the University of Michigan and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have shown that the gene ALOX15 is essential for helping EPA and DHA suppress colorectal cancer.

The results, published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, emphasize the need to screen for the presence of ALOX15 in cancer patients when developing preventative strategies using EPA and DHA supplements.

Large clinical studies focusing on the association between fish oil, EPA, DHA, and cancer have largely been inconclusive.