Eating fish linked to lower colorectal cancer risk | TheMedGuru

Getting more fish in your diet could lower your risk of developing colorectal cancer, findings of a new study show.

According to the findings of the study, people who take in loads of fish run a lower risk developing cancers of the colon and rectal vis-?-vis people who rarely or do not eat fish at all.

The study
For the purpose of the study, researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry at the New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School culled data from 41 previous studies published between 1990 and 2011. All studies measured fish consumption and tracked cancer prognosis.

Researchers found that people who ate fish regularly were at a reduced risk of developing or dying of colon or rectal cancer.

The protection bestowed by fish consumption was significantly higher for rectal cancer than colon cancer, researchers found.

People who reported the highest consumption of fish ran a 21 percent lower risk of developing rectal cancer than those who ate the lowest quantities, whereas, fish consumption was linked to only a 4 percent reduced risk of developing colon cancer, researchers highlighted.

Overall, fish consumptions was linked 12 percent reduced risk of developing or dying of colon or rectal cancer, the researchers pointed.

?People who rarely eat fish may experience health benefits in a variety of areas -- heart disease, reproductive and now colon cancer -- by increasing their fish consumption somewhat,? Dr. Michael Gochfeld, professor of environmental and occupational medicine at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said.

While the researchers did not investigate why eating fish bestowed a protective effect on colorectal cancer risk, they feel it could be because of the presence of omega-3 essential fatty acids found in certain fish such as salmon and sardines.

But, higher fish consumption was linked to an increased protection was also not clear. ?If you eat fish very frequently, it?s not clear whether your benefit continues to go up (by eating even more)?, Gochfeld added.

The findings of the study are published in the American Journal of Medicine.

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