The Antitumor Effects of α- Linolenic Acid

α-linolenic acid (ALA), which is a member of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA)
family, has often been ignored due to a lack of information. ALA has gradually attracted
increased attention due to its nutritional and medicinal advantages. Studies have shown that
ALA exerts beneficial effects on a variety of diseases, including cancer. In this review, we
summarize the antitumor effects of ALA in the context of cell biology, including the inhibition of
proliferation, the induction of apoptosis, the inhibition of metastasis and angiogenesis, and
antioxidant effects. In addition, studies have shown that ALA can be used as a drug carrier or exert positive clinical effects when combined with drugs. Therefore, the use of ALA in clinical
treatments is very promising and valuable.