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The world’s oceans, with their vast biodiversity, represent a largely untapped source of unique chemical compounds with therapeutic properties. Among these, bioactive molecules found in marine organisms have shown significant anticancer effects. For instance, cytarabine, a chemotherapy drug used to treat certain types of leukemia, was inspired by compounds found in the Caribbean sponge Cryptotethya crypta. Similarly, miltefosine, a marine-derived lipid, has proven useful in treating skin metastases caused by breast cancer.
Marine environments are a primary source of lipids, commonly referred to as “fats,” with antitumoral properties. These marine lipids can be used in two complementary ways: nutritionally, particularly through dietary intake, and through the development of lipid anticancer agents whose molecular structures are derived from or inspired by the marine environment.
Targeting Cancer Cells and Tumor Environments
Marine-derived lipids are used to selectively target components of cancer cells or the tumor microenvironment, addressing both the patient’s overall health and the tumor itself. This approach works to prevent or inhibit tumor growth, sensitize tumor cells to anti-cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, and reduce cancer-related malnutrition.
Dietary factors can influence cancer development by either stimulating or inhibiting tumor progression. Reducing the intake of foods containing tumor-promoting components while increasing consumption of those with proven inhibitory effects could delay the onset of various types of cancer.
Marine-Derived Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Marine-derived lipids include omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, found in abundance in oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, and herring. They also include ether lipids, present in marine sources such as shark liver oil and scallops. These lipids are essential components of cell membranes, particularly in cancer cells, and can modulate signaling pathways involved in tumor development.
At the Inserm-University of Tours research laboratory, “Nutrition, Growth and Cancer,” researchers are investigating the impact of lipids on cancer at molecular and cellular levels. Their research focuses on how lipids influence processes such as cancer cell growth, proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as how they affect the response to cancer cell treatment.
Antitumor Effects of Fatty Acids in Various Cancers
A number of marine-derived lipids and lipid classes, with both anti-tumor and pro-tumor properties, have been identified in recent years. Among these, omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are associated with less aggressive prostate cancer. EPA inhibits a complex mechanism involving the SK3 channel, linked to cancer cell migration and tumor aggressiveness, and the development of metastases.
Similarly, low levels of EPA and another omega-3, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are associated with severe forms of breast cancer, including multifocal breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, and premenopausal breast cancer with bone metastases.
Studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of omega-3 DHA and EPA in the management of leukemia. Clinical trials have confirmed that these fatty acids may be administered safely to newly diagnosed patients with high-risk leukemia without compromising the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Additionally, studies on animals suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may delay cancer-induced malnutrition, though these studies must be confirmed in humans.
Future Directions: Omega-3 Supplements Combined with Treatment?
The molecular impact of omega-3 fatty acids in cancer therapy remains underexplored, but early studies on dietary supplements
