High total and saturated fat intake were associated with greater risk of estrogen receptor- and progesterone receptor-positive (ER+PR+) breast cancer, and human epidermal growth factor 2 receptor-negative (HER2-) disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Published data from epidemiological and case-control studies on the association between high fat intake and breast cancer risk have been conflicting, which may be attributable to difficulties obtaining accurate information on fat intake and because of limited heterogeneity of intake within a specific geographic area from which the study cohorts live.
Furthermore, breast cancer is now classified clinically into subtypes by ER, PR and HER2 expression status and each subtype has its own prognosis and set of risk factors, which may also contribute to the inconsistencies in the published reports on this relationship.
Now, researchers prospectively analyzed data from 10,062 breast cancer patients from a large European study (called EPIC) with 11.5 years of follow-up. The EPIC cohort study consisted of 337,327 women living in 10 European countries, which creates a heterogeneous cohort both in terms of geography-related dietary fat intake patterns and in terms of molecular subtype.
The authors report high total and saturated fat intake were associated with greater risk of ER+PR+ breast cancers. High saturated fat intake was also associated with greater risk of HER2- disease. T
The authors conclude, "a high-fat diet increases breast cancer risk and, most conspicuously, that high saturated fat intake increases risk of receptor-positive disease, suggesting saturated fat involvement in the etiology of receptor-positive breast cancer."
Source: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, April 9 2014.
All research on this web site is the property of Leslie Beck Nutrition Consulting Inc. and is protected by copyright. Keep in mind that research on these matters continues daily and is subject to change. The information presented is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. It is intended to provide ongoing support of your healthy lifestyle practices.