Fatty Acids: Adiposity and Breast Cancer Chemotherapy, A bad synergy?

Publication date: Available online 22 November 2018Source: Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty AcidsAuthor(s): Ilze Mentoor, A-M Engelbrecht, Theo NellABSTRACTGlobally, breast cancer continues to be a major concern in women's health. Risk factors, specifically excess adipose tissue (adiposity), has reached epidemic proportions and has been identified as a major risk factor in the development of breast cancer.Dysfunctional adipose tissue has evoked research focusing on its association with metabolic-related conditions, breast cancer risk and progression. Adipose dysfunction in coordination with immune cells and inflammation, are responsible for accelerated cell growth and survival of cancer cells. Recently, evidence also implicate adiposity as a potential risk factor for chemotherapy resistance.Chemotherapeutic agents have been shown to negatively impact adipose tissue. Since adipose tissue is a major storage site for fatty acids, it is not unlikely that these negative effects may disrupt adipose tissue homeostasis. It is therefore argued that fatty acid composition may be altered due to the chemotherapeutic pharmacokinetics, which in turn could have severe health related outcomes. The underlying molecular mechanisms elucidating the effects of fatty acid composition in adiposity-linked drug resistance are still unclear and under explored. This review focuses on the potential role of adiposity in breast cancer and specifically emphasize the role of fatty acids in c...
Source: Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids (PLEFA) - Category: Lipidology Source Type: research