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Dietary omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids and risk of prostate cancer; Is there any potential interaction by organophosphate insecticides among the agricultural health study population
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Dietary omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids and risk of prostate cancer; Is there any potential interaction by organophosphate insecticides among the agricultural health study population

Homa Sadeghi, Charles F. Lynch, William R. Field, Linda G. Snetselaar, Michael P. Jones, Rashmi Sinha and James C. Torner
Cancer epidemiology, Vol.85, 102410
08/2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102410
PMCID: PMC10528409
PMID: 37413804

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Abstract

In the United States (US), the average annual increase in the incidence of prostate cancer (PCa) has been 0.5% between 2013 and 2017. Although some modifiable factors have been identified as the risk factors for PCa, the effect of lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids intake (N-6/N-3) remains unknown. Previous studies of the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) reported a significant positive association between PCa and selected organophosphate pesticides (OPs) including terbufos and fonofos. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between N-6/N-3 and PCa and any interaction between N-6/N-3 and 2 selected OPs (i.e., terbufos and fonofos) exposure. This case-control study, nested within a prospective cohort study, was conducted on a subgroup of the AHS population (1193 PCa cases and 14,872 controls) who returned their dietary questionnaire between 1999 and 2003 PCa was coded based on the International Classification of Diseases of Oncology (ICD-O-3) definitions and obtained from the statewide cancer registries of Iowa (2003–2017) and North Carolina (2003–2014). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to obtain the odds ratios adjusted (aORs) for age at dietary assessment (years), race/ethnicity (white, African American, other), physical activity (hours/week), smoking (yes/no), terbufos (yes/no), fonofos (yes/no), diabetes, lycopene intake (milligrams/day), family history of PCa, and the interaction of N-6/N-3 with age, terbufos and fonofos. Pesticide exposure was assessed by self-administrated questionnaires collecting data on ever/never use of mentioned pesticides during lifetime as a yes/no variable. Assessing the P value for the interaction between pesticides and N-6/N-3, we used the continuous variable of “intensity adjusted cumulative exposure” to terbufos and fonofos. This exposure score was based on duration, intensity and frequency of exposure. We also conducted a stratified regression analysis by quartiles of age. Relative to the highest N-6/N-3 quartile, the lowest quartile was significantly associated with a decreased risk of PCa (aOR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.41–0.90), and quartile-specific aORs decreased toward the lowest quartile (Ptrend=<0.01). Based on the age-stratified analysis, the protective effect was only significant for the lowest quartile of N-6/N-3 among those aged between 48 and 55 years old (aORs=0.97, 95% CI, 0.45–0.55). Among those who were exposed to terbufos (ever exposure reported as yes in the self-report questionnaires), lower quartiles of N-6/N-3 were protective albeit nonsignificant (aORs: 0.86, 0.92, 0.91 in quartiles 1,2, and 3, respectively). No meaningful findings were observed for fonofos and N-6/N-3 interaction. Findings showed that lower N-6/N-3 may decrease risk of PCa among farmers. However, no significant interaction was found between selected organophosphate pesticides and N-6/N-3. •Lower ratio of dietary omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids was significantly associated with decreased risk of prostate cancer•The interactions of organophosphate insecticides with dietary omega-6/omega-3 was not studied before•The interactions of terbufos and fonofos with N-6/N-3 were not statistically significant•The age-stratified analysis showed that lower omega-6/omega-3 may be more protective in younger ages (48–55 years old)
 Pesticides Prostate Cancer Diet Fat Fatty acids Insecticides Organophosphates Ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids The agricultural health study

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