Associations of Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Biomarkers with Affective Symptoms and Cognition in Women Beginning Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

The objective of this research was to examine if the serum levels of long chain omega 3 fatty acids (LCn-3 FA) or long chain omega-6 fatty acids (LCn-6 FA) were associated with affective symptoms and cognition in breast cancer patients beginning chemotherapy. 60 women with breast cancer were assigned to a double-blinded randomized study of minocycline vs placebo. Serum was collected from 53 women at baseline and post-chemotherapy and was stored at −80C. Serum fatty acids (FAs) from 37 pairs of samples from both time points were extracted, methylated, then analyzed using gas chromatography. Changes in fatty acids were analyzed by using paired sample t-test. Cognitive and affective behaviors were measured by Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function—Adult Version (BRIEF-A) test, The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and UCLA 3 item Loneliness Scale. Associations between baseline FAs and cognitive and affective test scores were measured by Pearson correlations; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Preliminary results suggest there were significant increases in the following serum FAs from baseline to post chemotherapy: C14:0 (p < 0.05) and C18:1n9 (p < 0.05), and there were significant decreases in C18:0 (p = 0.01), C20:0 (p = 0.001), and C22:5n6 (p < 0.05). Baseline analysis, prior to chemotherapy, indicated a non-significant trend for EPA (20:5n3) (r = −0.27, p = 0.06) and the n-3/n-6 ratio (r = −0.27, p = 0.06) to be correlated with better (i.e., lower) scores on the BRIEF-A test. There were trends for correlations of total n-6 FA and better (i.e., lower) STAI score (r = −0.25, p = 0.07), and total n-6 FA and better (i.e., lower) Loneliness Scale scores (r = −0.24, p = 0.09). There was a significant change in the serum FA profile of women with breast cancer from baseline to post-chemotherapy. There were non-significant trends for n-3 FAs to be associated with better executive function, and n-6 FAs to be correlated with less anxiety and loneliness prior to beginning chemotherapy. Future research will investigate associations among serum FAs, cognitive and affective tests post-chemotherapy. Stephanie Spielman Breast Cancer Center – Kroger Fund OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center Pelotonia Award.