Omega 3 and omega 6 acids found in salmon help increase chances of survival in bowel cancer

Eating salmon, walnuts and chia seeds can increase the chances of surviving bowel cancer by stopping the spread of deadly tumours across the body. A study by a team of scientists, has shown that when these omega-3 fatty acids are broken down after ingestion, they give out cancer-fighting molecules that immediately attack the cancerous cells.

Aberdeen University in Scotland claims to be the first to imply that a link exists between such foods and bowel cancer survival. They measured the number of enzymes made when omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids - found in chicken, eggs and nuts, were broken down in 650 bowel cancer patients.

This was then compared against their chances of survival. The outcome showed that those who had the highest amounts of the cancer-fighting enzymes had the greatest odds of overcoming the disease.

Their tumours were found to have spread not as much as others , demonstrating a greater chance of survival. Lead study author Professor Graeme Murray said that before this study, they were unaware about the link that exists between these enzymes and survival chances in bowel cancer.

Bowel cancer is thought to be the fourth most common form of the disease that kills a quarter of patients within a year.