One of the major and common diseases that endanger postmenopausal women is breast cancer. Obesity is the prominent risk factor indicated in breast cancer to date. It’s believed that obese women have elevated inflammation due to which they are prone to breast cancer.
A recent two-year study in Cancer Prevention Research demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids with its anti-inflammatory effects may prove to be a valuable tool to reduce the risk of breast cancer in obese postmenopausal women. In this study, Andrea Manni examined the effect of omega-3 fatty acid (Lovaza) supplementation on breast density in different weight women. Breast density is a well known, independent biomarker for breast cancer; a woman is more prone to develop breast cancer if she has high breast density.
About 266 healthy postmenopausal women with high breast density either received no treatment, received antiestrogen drug Raloxifene, Lovaza or a combination of both drugs. The study found reduced breast density with increasing omega-3 levels (specifically DHA) in women with body mass index above 29 (borderline obesity) proving its protective capabilities in obese postmenopausal women and marking a way to personalize breast cancer prevention strategies. Added to this, combination of Lovaza and Raloxifene showed superior effect than Lovaza alone in reducing triglycerides and LDL