Inuit are protected against prostate cancer

• Main Authors: Dewailly, Eric, Mulvad, Gert, Pedersen, Henning Sloth, Hansen, Jens Christian, Behrendt, Nille, Hart Hansen, Jens Peter
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Greenland; inuit
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/eafa08a0-983e-11da-bee9-02004c4f4f50

Incidence and mortality rates for prostate cancer are reported to be low among Inuit, but this finding must be additionally supported given the difficulty of obtaining a precise medical diagnosis in the Arctic. We conducted an autopsy study in 1990–1994 among 61 deceased males representative of all deaths occurring in Greenland and found only one invasive prostate cancer. Histological data were available for 27 autopsies and revealed no latent carcinoma. Our results suggest that in situ carcinoma is rare among Inuit and that their traditional diet, which is rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and selenium, may be an important protective factor.