Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of death due to cancer. Except for an association with cigarette smoking, its etiology is poorly understood. Because of the dearth of epidemiological clues as to causation, studies with experiemntal animal models assume greater importance. Rodent models of pancreatic cancer indicate that while dietary fatper se does not cause pancreatic cancer, it does enhance or promote tumor development. Subsequent to treatment with a pancreatic carcinogen, high intakes of dietary unsaturated fats of the n−6 series, but not saturated fats, enhance or promote tumor development. A requisite level of linoleic acid is needed for this promotion. Fats of the n−3 series (e.g., certain fish oils) are inhibitory to tumor growth. Promotion by dietary fats appears only partly related to the high caloric content of fat. Mechanistically, certain dietary unsaturated fats appear to selectively enhance the growth rate of carcinogeninduced, pre-cancerous lesions. Irrespective of precise understanding of mechanisms of promotion, it, appears possible to intervene in the process of cancer development and reduce the burden of cancer. Experimentally, this may be accomplished by decreasing total fat intake, decreasing caloric intake, increasing exercise or increasing the intake of n−3 fatty acids.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boring, C.C., Squires, T.S., and Tong, T. (1991)Ca-A Cancer J. for Clinicians 41, 19–36.
Mack, T.M. (1982)Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention (Schottenfeld, D., and Fraumeni, J., eds.) pp. 638–667, W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia.
Carroll, K.K., and Khor, H.T. (1975)Progr. Biochem. Pharmacol. 10, 308–353.
Wynder, E.L. (1975)Cancer Res. 35, 2228–2233.
Durbec, J.P., Chevillotte, G., Bidart, J.M., Berthezene, P., and Sarles, H. (1983)Br. J. Cancer 47, 463–470.
Gold, E.B., Gordis, L., Diener, M.D., Seltser, R., Boitnott, J.K., Bynum, T.E., and Hutcheon, D.F. (1985)Cancer 55, 460–467.
Norell, S.E., Ahlbom, A., Erwald, R., Jacobson, G., Lindberg-Navier, I., Olin, R., Tornberg, B., and Wiechel, K.L. (1986)Am. J. Epidemiol. 124, 894–902.
Birt, D.F., and Roebuck, B.D. (1986)Dietary Fat and Cancer (Ip, C., Birt, D.F., Rogers, A.E., and Mettlin, C., eds.) pp. 331–355. Alan R. Liss, Inc., New York.
Roebuck, B.D. (1987)Experimental Pancreatic Carcinogenesis (Scarpelli, D.G., Reddy, J.K., and Longnecker, D.S., eds.) pp. 187–206, CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton.
Roebuck, B.D., Longnecker, D.S., and Birt, D.F. (1989)Carcinogenesis and Dietary Fat (Abraham, S., ed.) pp. 135–150, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston.
Longnecker, D.S. (1987)Experimental Pancreatic Carcinogenesis (Scarpelli, D.G., Reddy, J.K., and Longnecker, D.S., eds.) pp. 117–130, CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton.
Pour, P.M., and Wilson, R. (1980)Tumors of the Pancreas (Moossa, A.R. ed.) pp. 37–158, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore.
Roebuck, B.D., Baumgartner, K.J., and Thron, C.D. (1984)Lab. Invest. 50, 141–146.
Roebuck, B.D., Baumgartner, K.J., and Longnecker, D.S. (1987)Carcinogenesis 8, 1831–1835.
Roebuck, B.D. (1986)Lipids 21, 281–284.
Roebuck, B.D. (1986)Adv. Experiemntal Medicine Biology 199, 91–107.
Roebuck, B.D., Yager, J.D., and Longnecker, D.S. (1981)Cancer Res. 41, 888–893.
Roebuck, B.D., Yager, J.D., Longnecker, D.S., and Wilpone, S.A. (1981)Cancer Res. 41, 3961–3966.
Yager, J.D., Roebuck, B.D., Zurlo, J., Longnecker, D.S., Weselcouch, E.O., and Wilpone, S.A. (1981)Int. J. Cancer 28, 601–606.
Birt, D.F., Stepan, K.R., and Pour, P.M. (1983)J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 71, 355–360.
Boorman, G.A., Banas, D.A., Eustis., S.L., and Haseman, J.K. (1987)Toxicol. Pathol. 15, 451–456.
Roebuck, B.D., and Longnecker, D.S. (1977)J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 59, 1273–1277.
Roebuck, B.D., Longnecker, D.S., Baumgartner, K.J., and Thron, C.D. (1985)Cancer Res. 45, 5252–5256.
O'Connor, T.P., Roebuck, B.D., and Campbell, T.C. (1985)J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 75, 955–957.
Longnecker, D.S., Roebuck, B.D., and Kuhlmann, E.T. (1985)J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 74, 219–222.
Eustis, S.L., and Boorman, G.A. (1985)J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 75, 1067–1073.
O'Connor, T.P., Roebuck, B.D., Peterson, F., and Campbell, T.C. (1985)J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 75, 959–962.
O'Connor, T.P., Roebuck, B.D., Peterson, F.J., Lokesh, B., Kinsella, J.E., and Campbell, T.C. (1989)J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 81, 858–863.
Ip, C., Carter, C.A., and Ip, M.M. (1985)Cancer Res. 45, 1997–2001.
Kritchevsky, D., Weber, M.M., and Klurfeld, D.M. (1984)Cancer Res. 44, 3174–3177.
Kritchevsky, D., and Klurfeld, D.M. (1987)Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 45, 236–242.
Boissonneault, G.A., Elson, C.E., and Pariza, M.W. (1986)J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 76, 335–338.
Cohen, L.A., Chio, K., and Wang, C-X. (1988)Cancer Res. 48, 7276–7283.
Reddy, B.S., Sugie, S., and Lowenfels, A. (1988)Cancer Res 48, 7079–7081.
Roebuck, B.D., McCaffrey, J., and Baumgartner, K.J. (1990)Cancer Res. 50, 6811–6816.
Thompson, H.J., Ronan, A.M., Ritacco, K.A., Tagliaferro, A.R., and Meeker, L.D. (1988)Cancer Res. 48, 2720–2723.
Thompson, H.J., Ronan, A.M., Ritacco, K.A., and Tagliaferro, A.R. (1989)Cancer Res. 49, 1904–1908.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Roebuck, B.D. Dietary fat and the development of pancreatic cancer. Lipids 27, 804–806 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02535854
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02535854