DHA improves kidney cancer therapy according to new study

According to a new study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, researchers demonstrate that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) reduces renal cell carcinoma invasiveness, growth rate, and blood vessel growth when combined with the anti-cancer therapy regorafenib.

Regorafenib is one of a new generation of anti-cancer therapies that attack tyrosine kinases. Unfortunately, kidney cancers mutate to resist these therapies. However, DHA metabolites called epoxydocosapentaenoic acid (EDP) reduce the ability of cancers to invade and grow blood vessels. The study found that DHA and regorafenib have a syngergist effect with one another.

Researchers tested DHA in combination with regorafenib against cancer cell lines and human tumors in mice. As a result, kidney cancer cells were killed in both models. This combination reduced both tumor growth and angiogenesis. This is the process in which tumors recruit blood vessels to feed their expansion.

This study demonstrates the synergistic effect combining regorafenib and DHA specifically. Fish oil supplements has been shown to increase the efficacy of other medications like I shared last week with antidepressants. Previous studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acid status determines the efficacy of B vitamins.

This does not mean that DHA will have the same impact against kidney cancer on its own although there are numerous other studies that demonstrate that omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the growth and spread of other cancers.

For example, there was a study published November 2014 in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, which supported that omega-3s reduce the risk of prostate cancer and its effectiveness in inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells.

Researchers found working with prostate cell cultures that the fatty acids bind to a receptor called free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFA4). Instead of stimulating cancer cells, the receptor acts as a signal to inhibit growth factors that suppress the proliferation of the cancer cells.

In addition, there has been several studies have found that omega-3 consumption reduces either the risk of development of prostate cancer or the rate of mortality for those diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The research does support fish oil as a simple way patients with advanced kidney cancer could increase the effectiveness of their treatment. Most people are deficient in essential fatty acids and should be taking a fish oil supplement for their overall health.

By Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN, CNS
Source: J. Kim, A. Ulu, D. Wan, J. Yang, B. D. Hammock, R. H. Weiss. Addition of DHA Synergistically Enhances the Efficacy of Regorafenib for Kidney Cancer Therapy. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 2016; DOI:10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-15-0847