Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Breast Cancer and Dietary Factors in Taiwanese Women

  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To examine the effect of the consumption of dietary factors on the risk of breast cancer in a case–control study in Taiwan.

Methods

Two-hundred-and-fifty cases and 219 age-matched controls between the ages of 25 and 74 were interviewed in person between 1996 and 1999. Usual consumption of dietary habits including 100 foods was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and a nutrient database developed and validated in Taiwanese populations.

Results

Cases consumed significantly more fat than controls. Cases also consumed statistically significant less supplements such as vitamins and mineral than controls. Food group analyses showed that highest quartile of beef and pork intake significantly increased risk in younger women (OR = 2.5, 95% CI  = 1.0–6.0) and all women (OR = 2.5, 95% CI  = 1.1–3.3). The age- education- and total calorie-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of breast cancer risk comparing the highest and second highest quartile of fat intake to the lowest quartile was 5.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1–13 and 3.5, 95% CI: 1.4–8.7 among those younger cases (≤40). A multiple regression model indicates a protective effect of supplements (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.3–07) and a harmful effect of dietary fat (OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4–5.0) for the highest versus lowest quartile in all women.

Conclusions

Our results indicate a strong protective effect of dietary supplements and a harmful effect of dietary fats on the risk of breast cancer among women in Taiwan. These findings should be confirmed in future follow-up studies. Specific amount of dietary supplements and dietary fats should be quantified for a more accurate evaluation on the risk for breast cancer in this population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Prehn A, Lin S, Clarke C, Packel L, Lum R, Lui S, Harper C, Lee M, Glaser S, West D (1999) Cancer Incidence in Chinese, Japanese, and Filipinos in the US and Asia, 1988–1992. Union City, CA: Northern California Cancer Center

  2. SH Cheng MH Tsou MC Liu JJ Jian JC Cheng SY Leu CY Hsieh AT Huang (2000) ArticleTitleUnique features of breast cancer in Taiwan Breast Cancer Res Treat 63 IssueID3 213–223 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1006468514396 Occurrence Handle11110055

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. MP Fay LS Freedman CK Clifford DN Midthune (1997) ArticleTitleEffect of different types and amounts of fat on the development of mammary tumors in rodents: a review Cancer Res 57 3979–3988 Occurrence Handle9307282

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. SA Smith-Warner D Spiegelman HO Adami WL Beeson PA van den Brandt AR Folsom et al. (2001) ArticleTitleTypes of dietary fat and breast cancer: a pooled analysis of cohort studies Int J Cancer 92 767–774 Occurrence Handle10.1002/1097-0215(20010601)92:5<767::AID-IJC1247>3.0.CO;2-0 Occurrence Handle11340585

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. E Velie M Kulldorff C Schairer G Block D Albanes A Schatzkin (2000) ArticleTitleDietary fat, fat subtypes, and breast cancer in postmenopausal women: a prospective cohort study J Natl Cancer Inst 92 833–839 Occurrence Handle10.1093/jnci/92.10.833 Occurrence Handle10814679

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. K Katsouyanni D Trichopoulos P Boyle E Xirouchaki A Trichopoulou B Lisseos et al. (1986) ArticleTitleDiet and breast cancer: a case–control study in Greece Int J Cancer 38 815–820 Occurrence Handle3793261

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. C La Vecchia A Decarli S Franceschi A Gentile E Negri F Parazzini (1987) ArticleTitleDietary factors and the risk of breast cancer Nutr Cancer 10 205–214 Occurrence Handle2829140

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. DM Ingram E Nottage T Roberts (1991) ArticleTitleThe role of diet in the development of breast cancer: a case–control study of patients with breast cancer, benign epithelial hyperplasia and fibrocystic disease of the breast Br J Cancer 64 187–191 Occurrence Handle1854621

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. TE Rohan GR Howe CM Friedenreich M Jain AB Miller (1993) ArticleTitleDietary fiber, vitamins A, C, and E, and risk of breast cancer: a cohort study Cancer Causes Control 4 29–37 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00051711 Occurrence Handle8381678

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. JM Iscovich RB Iscovich G Howe S Shiboski JM Kaldor (1989) ArticleTitleA case–control study of diet and breast cancer in Argentina Int J Cancer 44 770–776 Occurrence Handle2583858

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. PL Horn-Ross EM John M Lee SL Stewart J Koo LC Sakoda AC Shiau J Goldstein P Davis EJ Perez-Stable (2001) ArticleTitlePhytoestrogen consumption and breast cancer risk in a multiethnic population: the Bay Area Breast Cancer Study Am J Epidemiol 1154 IssueID5 434–441 Occurrence Handle10.1093/aje/154.5.434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Q Dai AA Franke F Jin XO Shu JR Hebert LJ Custer J Cheng YT Gao W Zheng (2002) ArticleTitleUrinary excretion of phytoestrogens and risk of breast cancer among Chinese women in Shanghai Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 11 IssueID9 815–821 Occurrence Handle12223424

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. WC Chie (1998) ArticleTitleOral contraceptives and breast cancer risk in Taiwan Int J Cancer 77 219–223 Occurrence Handle10.1002/(SICI)1097-0215(19980717)77:2<219::AID-IJC9>3.0.CO;2-T Occurrence Handle9650556

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Tseng MS (1996) Development and validation of a dietary questionnaire for Taiwanese women, UCLA doctoral dissertation

  15. Hosmer DW, Lemeshow S (1989) Applied Logistic Regression. New York: John Wiley & Sons

  16. AT Fleischauer N Simonsen L Arab (2003) ArticleTitleAntioxidant supplements and risk of breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer-related mortality among postmenopausal women Nutr Cancer 46 IssueID1 15–22 Occurrence Handle10.1207/S15327914NC4601_02 Occurrence Handle12925299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. PG Moorman MF Ricciuti RC Millikan B Newman (2001) ArticleTitleVitamin supplement use and breast cancer in a North Carolina population Public Health Nutr 4 IssueID3 821–827 Occurrence Handle11415490

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. AV Patel MF Press K Meeske EE Calle L Bernstein (2003) ArticleTitleLifetime recreational exercise activity and risk of breast carcinoma in situ Cancer 98 IssueID10 2161–2169 Occurrence Handle10.1002/cncr.11768 Occurrence Handle14601085

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. CL Carpenter RK Ross A Paganini-Hill L Bernstein (2003) ArticleTitleEffect of family history, obesity and exercise on breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women Int J Cancer 106 IssueID1 96–102 Occurrence Handle10.1002/ijc.11186 Occurrence Handle12794763

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. D Yang L Bernstein AH Wu (2003) ArticleTitlePhysical activity and breast cancer risk among Asian-American women in Los Angeles: a case–control study Cancer 97 IssueID10 2565–2575 Occurrence Handle10.1002/cncr.11364 Occurrence Handle12733156

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. CM Friedenreich KS Courneya HE Bryant (2001) ArticleTitleInfluence of physical activity in different age and life periods on the risk of breast cancer Epidemiology 12 IssueID6 604–612 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00001648-200111000-00005 Occurrence Handle11679785

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. S Gandini H Merzenich C Robertson P Boyle (2000) ArticleTitleMeta-analysis of studies on breast cancer risk and diet: the role of fruit and vegetable consumption and the intake of associated micronutrients Eur J Cancer 36 IssueID5 636–646 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0959-8049(00)00022-8 Occurrence Handle10738129

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. E Cho D Spiegelman DJ Hunter WY Chen MJ Stampfer GA Colditz WC Willett (2003) ArticleTitlePremenopausal fat intake and risk of breast cancer J Natl Cancer Inst 95 IssueID14 1079–1085 Occurrence Handle12865454

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. P Toniolo E Riboli RE Shore BS Pasternack (1994) ArticleTitleConsumption of meat, animal products, protein, and fat and risk of risk cancer: a prospective cohort study in New York Epidemiology 5 IssueID4 391–397 Occurrence Handle7918807

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. DB Thomas MR Karagas (1996) Migrant studies D. Schottenfeld (Eds) Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention EditionNumber2 Oxford University Press Oxford 236–254

    Google Scholar 

  26. E Huang SH Cheng H Dressman J Pittman MH Tsou CF Horng A Bild ES Iversen M Liao CM Chen M West JR Nevins AT Huang (2003) ArticleTitleGene expression predictors of breast cancer outcomes Lancet 361 1590–1596 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13308-9 Occurrence Handle12747878

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. DH Choi MH Lee AE Bale D Carter BG Haffty (2004) ArticleTitleIncidence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in young Korean breast cancer patients J Clinic Oncol 22 1638–1645 Occurrence Handle10.1200/JCO.2004.04.179

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California at San Francisco, MU 420 West, San Francisco, CA, 94143-0560, USA

    Marion M. Lee

  2. Dept. of Clinical Research, Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ilona Yuan Hui Chang, Cheng Fang Horng, Skye Hongiun Cheng & Andrew Huang

  3. School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, California, 94720, USA

    Jeffrey S. Chang

  4. The Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Andrew Huang

Authors
  1. Marion M. Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ilona Yuan Hui Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cheng Fang Horng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jeffrey S. Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Skye Hongiun Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Andrew Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marion M. Lee.

Additional information

★ Supported by the Koo Foundation Cancer Center Research Fund.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, M.M., Chang, I.Y.H., Horng, C.F. et al. Breast Cancer and Dietary Factors in Taiwanese Women. Cancer Causes Control 16, 929–937 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-005-4932-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-005-4932-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation