Does dietary alpha-linolenic acid promote liver metastases in pancreatic carcinoma initiated by BOP in Syrian hamster?

Background: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) has been shown to have a promoting e ffect on pancreatic carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study was to evalua te the influence of ALA on liver metastases in a model of BOP-induced pancr eatic ductular carcinoma in the Syrian golden hamster. Methods: While the c ontrol group (group V) received a standard diet low in fat (soya oil, 3 w/v ) without ALA, groups I-IV were fed a diet high in fat (soya oil 25 w/v) wi th increasing percentages of ALA (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10%) for 16 weeks. Result s: No significant differences in mean body weight and pancreas weight were found between the groups. But significant differences (p = 0.0001) were obs erved in the mean weight of the resected liver. Treatment with BOP alone re sulted in the induction of well-differentiated ductal pancreatic adenocarci noma in 91%, while all groups treated with different amounts of ALA had ind uction of 100%. The incidence of liver metastases differed significantly be tween the groups. The incidence of liver metastases in group I (2.5% ALA) w as 18%, in group II (5% ALA) 27%, in group III (7.5% ALA) 50%, and in group IV (10% ALA) 91%. Moreover, the diameter of liver metastases increased sig nificantly according to ALA supplementation (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The re sults indicate that dietary ALA increases liver metastases in BOP-initiated pancreatic cancer.