Trans fatty acids from industrial processed foods may be associated with greater risk of developing ovarian cancer

New results, published today in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention by scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and partners, suggest that higher intakes and circulating levels of trans fatty acids from industrial processed foods and from deep-frying fat may be associated with a greater risk of developing ovarian cancer.

The researchers analysed data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, which included 1486 incident cases of ovarian cancer, to prospectively investigate the association between individual intake of fatty acids from various food sources and the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Industrial trans fatty acids are associated with obesity and inflammation, which are known risk factors for ovarian cancer and which could explain, at least partly, the positive association between these fatty acids and ovarian cancer.

Yammine S, Huybrechts I, Biessy C, Dossus L, Aglago EK, Naudin S, et al.
Dietary and circulating fatty acids and ovarian cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, Published online 2 July 2020;
https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1477

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