linoleic-acid and Adenomatous-Polyposis-Coli

Topics: Adenomatous Polyposis Coli; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Arachidonic Acid; Cell Division; Colon; Colorectal Neoplasms; Docosahexaenoic Acids; Double-Blind Method; Eicosapentaenoic Acid; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Fish Oils; Food, Fortified; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa; Linoleic Acid; Mitotic Index; Rectum

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) provides a model of APC inactivation as an early genetic event for the approximately 85% of colorectal cancers that develop from polyps. Abnormal fatty acid composition of tissues and serum phospholipids has been linked to cancer risk. Our aim was to describe the composition of fatty acids in serum phospholipids in 38 colectomized FAP patients as compared to 160 healthy subjects. Mean fatty acid intakes were similar between the groups. Colectomy was done on average 16 years prior to inclusion, and 18% were diagnosed with colorectal cancer at colectomy. The levels (weight %) of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid were higher among the reference subjects (difference: 3.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.87, 5.04, and difference: 0.06, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.08, respectively), and the levels of arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid were lower (difference: -3.70, 95% CI = -4.35, -3.06, and difference: -5.26, 95% CI = -6.25, -4.28, respectively) as compared to the FAP patients (all p < or = 0.0001). The abnormal fatty acid composition was not related to time since colectomy, intestinal reconstruction or history of colorectal cancer for any of the fatty acids assessed. Compositional differences in the fatty acid profile of serum phospholipids have not been described before in FAP patients. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and assess clinical significances of a possible distorted fatty acid metabolism, including a potentially different dietary need of essential fatty acids. The relevance of these findings for APC induced cancers remains unclear.

Topics: Adenomatous Polyposis Coli; Adult; Aged; alpha-Linolenic Acid; Arachidonic Acid; Colectomy; Docosahexaenoic Acids; Humans; Linoleic Acid; Middle Aged; Phospholipids