A diet rich in omega 3 before or after the diagnosis of colon cancer helps to improve survival prospects in these patients.

Song, M., Zhang, X., Meyerhardt, J., et al. “Marine ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake and survival after bowel cancer diagnosis”. Gut gutjnl-2016-311990 Published Online First: 19 July 2016.

Scientific evidence exists which demonstrates the anti-cancer effects of omega 3 EPA and DHA. The authors of this study, published in the prestigious Gut journal, used the database from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Professionals Follow-up Study to determine mortality from any cause and as a consequence of colon cancer in a sample of 1,659 patients diagnosed with colon cancer by reference to their omega 3 fatty acid intake before and after the cancer diagnosis.

It was observed that those patients with a higher intake of omega 3 had a lower mortality than the mortality typically associated with colon cancer itself. The patients with a daily intake of less than 100 mg of omega 3 had a mortality from the cancer itself that was 41% higher than those who consumed more than 300 mg a day. In addition, it was also observed that where patients post-diagnosis had intentionally increased their omega 3 intake by at least 150 mg there was a corresponding reduction in mortality of around 70% compared to those who maintained the same intake level as before they were diagnosed.