New Studies Reveal Oily Fish Helps Fight Skin Cancer

New studies reveal that a diet high in omega-3 oils – the kind that come from oily fish and fish oil supplements – can help prevent skin cancer by boosting the immune system enough to fight off the damaging effects of overexposure to the sun. This exciting research pinpoints a concrete action people can take to help guard themselves against skin cancer, says Dr. Joshua Fox, leading dermatologist and medical director at Advanced Dermatology in NY.

Roslyn, NY November 13, 2009 -- New studies from the National Cancer Institute, England’s University of Manchester and Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine reveal that a diet high in omega-3 oils – the kind that come from oily fish and fish oil supplements – can help prevent skin cancer by boosting the immune system enough to fight off the damaging effects of overexposure to the sun.

Harmful UV rays

“The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are a major source of DNA-distorting, cancer-promoting cell damage,” says Joshua Fox, M.D., medical director at Advanced Dermatology. “UV rays also can cause wrinkles, leathery skin, cataracts and other problems.”

Incidence of skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States today. More than one million skin cancers are diagnosed each year. Most of them are non-melanoma (basal or squamous cell) skin cancers. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for some 68,800 cases of skin cancer in 2009, and most (about 8,650) of the 11,590 skin cancer deaths this year, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation www.skincancer.org. Dr. Fox adds, “About 31 Americans die each day – more than one per hour – from skin cancer, primarily melanoma. Detected and treated early, it’s highly curable. But survival rates for ‘regional’ melanoma cancers and those that have spread are lower – 65 percent and 16 percent respectively.”

What causes skin cancer?

Almost all skin cancers are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or from tanning beds. Exposure to tanning beds in youth increases melanoma risk by 75 percent. Those who use tanning beds are also two-and-a-half times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and one-and-a-half times more likely to develop basal cell skin cancer. ”UV radiation is known to degrade the skin’s immune response,” says Dr. Fox, “allowing cancer cells to multiply and develop into tumors.”

Research offers key to prevention

Recent research suggests that fish oil can protect against immune suppression due to UV radiation and, thus, against contracting skin cancer. “This exciting research pinpoints a concrete action people can take to help guard themselves against skin cancer,” says Dr. Fox.

The caveat? The fish oil must come from fatty fish – such as trout, salmon, mackerel and herring. Or from omega-3 fish oil supplements. A recent study by dermatology researchers at Hope Hospital in Manchester, England, revealed that oily fish in our diets helps prevent skin cancer because essential fatty acids protect the skin against the DNA damage that can cause skin cancer. The study was published in an article called, “Fish oil to boost skin health,” published by the University of Manchester on Jan. 20, 2009. The study was published in Insciences, a non-profit organization based in Switzerland.

The research involved a group of 42 healthy persons given a fish oil supplement that was the equivalent of three portions of oily fish per week. After one month, they were less likely to sunburn; after three months their resistance had risen to 33 percent less likely. A second group who suffered from sun allergy doubled its defense after six months. These two groups were measured against a third group that had been given olive oil, which had no effect.

How omega-3s reduce sun damage

“The omega-3s in fish (EPA and DHA) exert significant anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body,” says Dr. Fox. “As a consequence, omega-3s seem to help counteract the damaging effects of solar radiation.” Inflammation is the body’s response to infections, burns and wounds. While inflammation is generally a positive thing, chronic inflammation can result from dietary deficiencies and become a source of secondary damage to the body’s cells. “In short,” says Dr. Fox, “dietary omega-3s create an environment in which UV radiation is less damaging and where cancer is less likely to develop.

“Remember when your mother told you to eat your fruits and vegetables to be healthy,” Dr. Fox comments. “Now she should add, ‘and your fatty fish. And go out and play in the sun, just not too much and not in the heat of the day.’ All this will contribute to good health and a good cancer-fighting immune system.”

About Dr. Fox: Joshua L. Fox, M.D., F.A.A.D., earned his medical degree from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He completed an internship at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn, followed by a four-year dermatology residency at the New York University School of Medicine. A Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dr. Fox is a leading authority in the field of dermatology, with an expertise in skin cancer, cosmetic surgery and laser procedures. He is the founder and director of Advanced Dermatology, P.C. of New York and New Jersey and the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery.

About Advanced Dermatology and the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery: A premier medical practice with seven locations throughout Long Island, Queens, Manhattan and New Jersey, the center provides the widest range of medical, laser and cosmetic dermatology and plastic surgery services in the New York Metropolitan area.

Contact: Melissa Chefec, MCPR Public Relations, 203-968-6625

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