Increased Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Selectively Sensitize Cancer Cells to Chemotherapy (1993)

Title:

Increased Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Selectively Sensitize Cancer Cells to Chemotherapy

Key words:

PUFA, fish oil, lipid peroxidation, ferric citrate

Research Institution:

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Location:

Texas

Researcher:

W. Elaine Hardman

Project Description:

Dr. Hardman demonstrated that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in fish oil increase lipid peroxidation in the cellular membrane of a tumor appearing to cause the malignant tumor cells to die. Dr. Hardman sought to validate this hypothesis by enhancing lipid peroxidation by the pro-oxidant ferric citrate making cancer cells more sensitive to a chemotherapy drug.