Dietary Intake of Fatty Acids and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Background Epidemiological findings on dietary fat intake and risk of pancreatic cancer (PanC) are inconsistent. Objectives This study aimed to determine the association between types of dietary fat intake and PanC. Methods We conducted a hospital-based case-control study in 957 pathologically confirmed PanC cases and 938 cancer-free controls. Cases and controls were frequency matched by age, sex, and race. Dietary information was collected using a self-administered validated FFQ. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the ORs and 95% CIs of PanC risk by quintiles of fat intake with the lowest quintile as referent and with adjustment for other risk factors and dietary factors. Results We observed no difference in (median) intake of total fat standardized for energy among cases versus controls. The multivariable-adjusted OR (95% CI) of the highest versus the lowest quintile of intake (ORQ5 compared with Q1) was 2.51 (1.68-3.72) for fat from animal sources and 0.41 (0.29-0.58) for fat from plant sources. Intakes of total MUFA, total PUFA, and linoleic (n-6) and long chain n-3 fatty acids were inversely associated with PanC (ORQ5 compared with Q1 and 95% CI: 0.55 [0.36-0.82], 0.59 [0.42-0.82], 0.64 [0.43-0.84], and 0.60 [0.42-0.84], respectively). Arachidonic acid (n-6) and several SFAs were positively associated with PanC. Conclusion Although some observed associations with pancreatic cancer risk could be explained by reverse causation, the potential protective associations with intakes of largely plant-derived PUFAs and MUFAs and fish-derived long chain n-3 PUFAs warrant further prospective investigation.

Automated summary

This study found positive association between intake of fat from animal sources and risk of pancreatic cancer, while intake of fat from plant sources was inversely associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Intakes of largely plant-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), as well as fish-derived long chain n-3 PUFAs, may have potential protective associations with pancreatic cancer risk, highlighting the need for further investigation.