Fatty fish may cut kidney cancer risk

Swedish women who ate fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring at least once a week had a significantly lower risk of kidney cancer compared with consumers of lean fish, a new study has found.

The 15-year study found those who regularly ate fish containing lots of fish oil that is rich in omega-3 acids and vitamin D had a 74% lower risk of getting kidney cancer compared with those who ate no fish at all.

Lean varieties such as tuna, cod and fresh-water fish did not confer the same benefit.

Compared with lean fish, fatty fish have up to 30 times the amount of certain acids and up to five times the amount of vitamin D. The fatty acids have been reported to slow development of cancer, and people with kidney cancer often have low levels of vitamin D.

The report was published in the Sept. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Assn.