Fish oils may protect men against ?prostate cancer'

A diet rich in fat found in oily fish may protect men against prostate cancer from developing a more aggressive form of the disease, according to a research.

Prostate cancer is much more likely to be life-threatening if tumour cells migrate and invade other tissues, such as the bone marrow. Lab tests found omega-3 oil - present in fish like salmon, prevented this.

The results of the study, based at Manchester's Christie Hospital, are in the British Journal of Cancer. Eating a diet with the right balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats may help to keep prostate cancer within the prostate gland.

The Paterson Institute researchers tested the effect of two types of dietary fat on prostate cancer cells in the lab.

Previous research has suggested omega-3 fats, which are also found in mackerel and fresh tuna, may help cut the risk of cancer - and other conditions, such as heart disease.

"It is possible to have a healthy balance of these two types of fat - we only need about half as much omega-3 as omega-6 - that will still stop cancer cells from spreading," Researcher Dr Mick Brown was quoted by The BBC,as saying.

"Some tumours develop slowly in the prostate without producing symptoms and sometimes when symptoms do develop, it is because the cancer has already spread,” Lead researcher Noel Clarke said.

"Eating a diet with the right balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats may well help to keep prostate cancer within the prostate gland where it may be monitored safely or more easily treated with surgery or radiotherapy," he added.