Serum Phospholipid Fatty Acids in Benign Breast Tumor and Breast Cancer

ABSTRACT

Studies on the relationship between blood fatty acids and the risk of breast cancer have not yielded definite conclusions. The role of fatty acids in the development and progression of breast cancer is unclear. We conducted a case-control study to determine serum phospholipid fatty acid composition in benign breast tumor and breast cancer. Subjects consisted of 27 benign breast tumor and 68 breast cancer patients, and 28 matched controls. The levels of fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography. Higher arachidonic and palmitic acids were observed in breast cancer patients as compared with control and benign breast tumor patients. The percentage of total saturated fatty acids in breast cancer was higher than in control and benign breast tumor patients. The level of stearic acid was lower in benign breast tumor and breast cancer patients. Saturation index, the ratio of stearic to oleic acid, was lower in benign breast tumor and breast cancer patients compared to the control. Moreover, stearic acid was negatively and arachidonic acid was positively correlated with the cancer stage. In conclusion, our results support that serum phospholipid compositions of specific fatty acids are associated with the risk of benign breast tumor as well as breast cancer. Further studies are necessary to investigate mechanisms linked to the breast cancer etiology.