Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Plasma tea polyphenol levels and subsequent risk of breast cancer among Japanese women: a nested case–control study

  • Epidemiology
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although many in vitro and animal studies have suggested a protective effect of green tea against breast cancer, findings from epidemiological studies have been inconsistent. No study has used prediagnostic biomarkers of tea polyphenols, which might play a protective role. A total of 24,226 women aged 40 to 69 years in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study who responded to the baseline questionnaire and provided blood in 1990–1995 were followed to December 2002. During a mean 10.6 years of follow-up, 144 newly diagnosed breast cancers were identified. Two matched controls for each case were selected from the cohort. Plasma levels of (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) were measured, and the odds ratio (OR) of breast cancer according to plasma level was estimated using a conditional logistic regression model. We found no statistically significant association between plasma tea polyphenol levels and breast cancer risk. Adjusted ORs for the highest versus lowest group were 0.90 (95% CI 0.42–1.96; P for trend = 0.98) for EGC, 0.95 (95% CI 0.43–2.08; P for trend = 0.86) for EC, 1.21 (95% CI 0.52–2.80; P for trend = 0.53) for EGCG, and 1.75 (95% CI 0.81–3.78; P for trend = 0.15) for ECG. Stratified analyses according to baseline menopausal status showed no remarkable difference between two strata. This nested case–control study found no overall association between plasma tea polyphenols and the risk of breast cancer in Japan.

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.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

CI:

Confidence interval

EC:

(-)-Epicatechin

ECG:

(-)-Epicatechin-3-gallate

EGC:

(-)-Epigallocatechin

EGCG:

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate

FFQ:

Food frequency questionnaire

JPHC Study:

Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study

OR:

Odds ratio

PHC:

Public health centers

References

  1. Cabrera C, Artacho R, Gimenez R (2006) Beneficial effects of green tea—a review. J Am Coll Nutr 25:79–99

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Schneider C, Segre T (2009) Green tea: potential health benefits. Am Fam Physician 79:591–594

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Curado MP, Edwards B, Shin HR et al (2007) Cancer incidence in five continents, vol IX. IARC Scientific Publications No. 160. IARC, Lyon

  4. Yang CS, Lambert JD, Sang S (2009) Antioxidative and anti-carcinogenic activities of tea polyphenols. Arch Toxicol 83:11–21

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Crespy V, Williamson G (2004) A review of the health effects of green tea catechins in in vivo animal models. J Nutr 134:3431S–3440S

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Satoh K, Sakamoto Y, Ogata A et al (2002) Inhibition of aromatase activity by green tea extract catechins and their endocrinological effects of oral administration in rats. Food Chem Toxicol 40:925–933

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Komori A, Yatsunami J, Okabe S et al (1993) Anticarcinogenic activity of green tea polyphenols. Jpn J Clin Oncol 23:186–190

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Shrubsole MJ, Lu W, Chen Z et al (2009) Drinking green tea modestly reduces breast cancer risk. J Nutr 139:310–316

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Zhang M, Holman CD, Huang JP et al (2007) Green tea and the prevention of breast cancer: a case-control study in Southeast China. Carcinogenesis 28:1074–1078

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Wu AH, Yu MC, Tseng CC et al (2003) Green tea and risk of breast cancer in Asian Americans. Int J Cancer 106:574–579

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Nagano J, Kono S, Preston DL et al (2001) A prospective study of green tea consumption and cancer incidence, Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japan). Cancer Causes Control 12:501–508

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Suzuki Y, Tsubono Y, Nakaya N et al (2004) Green tea and the risk of breast cancer: pooled analysis of two prospective studies in Japan. Br J Cancer 90:1361–1363

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Inoue M, Robien K, Wang R et al (2008) Green tea intake, MTHFR/TYMS genotype and breast cancer risk: the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Carcinogenesis 29:1967–1972

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Watanabe S, Tsugane S, Sobue T et al (2001) Study design and organization of the JPHC study. J Epidemiol 11(Suppl 6):S3–S7

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lee MJ, Wang ZY, Li H et al (1995) Analysis of plasma and urinary tea polyphenols in human subjects. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 4:393–399

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Lee MJ, Prabhu S, Meng X et al (2000) An improved method for the determination of green and black tea polyphenols in biomatrices by high-performance liquid chromatography with coulometric array detection. Anal Biochem 279:164–169

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lee MJ, Maliakal P, Chen L et al (2002) Pharmacokinetics of tea catechins after ingestion of green tea and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate by humans: formation of different metabolites and individual variability. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 11:1025–1032

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Sasazuki S, Inoue M, Miura T et al (2008) Plasma tea polyphenols and gastric cancer risk: a case-control study nested in a large population-based prospective study in Japan. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 17:343–351

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Tsubono Y, Kobayashi M, Sasaki S et al (2003) Validity and reproducibility of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire used in the baseline survey of the JPHC Study Cohort I. J Epidemiol 13(Suppl 1):S125–S133

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sasaki S, Ishihara J, Tsugane S (2003) Reproducibility of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire used in the 5-year follow-up survey of the JPHC Study Cohort I to assess food and nutrient intake. J Epidemiol 13(Suppl 1):S115–S124

    Google Scholar 

  21. Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P et al (2004) GLOBOCAN 2002 cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide, IARC CancerBase No. 5, version 2.0. IARC Press, Lyon

  22. Iwasaki M, Yamamoto S, Otani T et al (2006) Generalizability of relative risk estimates from a well-defined population to a general population. Eur J Epidemiol 21:253–262

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Cancer Research and for the Third Term Comprehensive Ten-Year Strategy for Cancer Control from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, and Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas (17015049) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan. We wish to thank all staff members in each study area and in the central offices for their cooperation and technical assistance. We also wish to thank the Iwate, Aomori, Ibaraki, Niigata, Osaka, Kochi, Nagasaki, and Okinawa Cancer Registries for their provision of incidence data.

Conflict of interest statement

All of the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in connection with this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology and Prevention Division, Research Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Center, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan

    Motoki Iwasaki, Manami Inoue, Shizuka Sasazuki, Tsutomu Miura, Norie Sawada, Taiki Yamaji, Taichi Shimazu & Shoichiro Tsugane

  2. Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life, Jin-ai University, Echizen, Japan

    Tsutomu Miura

  3. Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Walter C. Willett

  4. Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Walter C. Willett

Authors
  1. Motoki Iwasaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manami Inoue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shizuka Sasazuki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tsutomu Miura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Norie Sawada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Taiki Yamaji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Taichi Shimazu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Walter C. Willett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Shoichiro Tsugane
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Motoki Iwasaki.

Additional information

This study is conducted for the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study Group. The study group members are listed in Appendix.

Appendix

Appendix

Study group members

Members of the JPHC Study Group (principal investigator: S. Tsugane): S. Tsugane, M. Inoue, T. Sobue, and T. Hanaoka, Research Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Center, Tokyo; J. Ogata, S. Baba, T. Mannami, A. Okayama, and Y. Kokubo, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita; K. Miyakawa, F. Saito, A. Koizumi, Y. Sano, I. Hashimoto, T. Ikuta, and Y. Tanaba, Iwate Prefectural Ninohe Public Health Center, Ninohe; Y. Miyajima, N. Suzuki, S. Nagasawa, Y. Furusugi, and N. Nagai, Akita Prefectural Yokote Public Health Center, Yokote; H. Sanada, Y. Hatayama, F. Kobayashi, H. Uchino, Y. Shirai, T. Kondo, R. Sasaki, Y. Watanabe, Y. Miyagawa, Y. Kobayashi, and M. Machida, Nagano Prefectural Saku Public Health Center, Saku; Y. Kishimoto, E. Takara, T. Fukuyama, M. Kinjo, M. Irei, and H. Sakiyama, Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Public Health Center, Okinawa; K. Imoto, H. Yazawa, T. Seo, A. Seiko, F. Ito, F. Shoji, and R. Saito, Katsushika Public Health Center, Tokyo; A. Murata, K. Minato, K. Motegi, and T. Fujieda, Ibaraki Prefectural Mito Public Health Center, Mito; T. Abe, M. Katagiri, M. Suzuki, and K. Matsui, Niigata Prefectural Kashiwazaki and Nagaoka Public Health Center, Kashiwazaki and Nagaoka; M. Doi, A. Terao, Y. Ishikawa, and T. Tagami, Kochi Prefectural Chuo-higashi Public Health Center, Tosayamada; H. Doi, M. Urata, N. Okamoto, F. Ide, and H. Sueta, Nagasaki Prefectural Kamigoto Public Health Center, Arikawa; H. Sakiyama, N. Onga, H. Takaesu, and M. Uehara, Okinawa Prefectural Miyako Public Health Center, Hirara; F. Horii, I. Asano, H. Yamaguchi, K. Aoki, S. Maruyama, M. Ichii, and M. Takano, Osaka Prefectural Suita Public Health Center, Suita; S. Matsushima and S. Natsukawa, Saku General Hospital, Usuda; M. Akabane, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo; M. Konishi, K. Okada, and I. Saito, Ehime University, Toon; H. Iso, Osaka University, Suita; Y. Honda, K. Yamagishi, S. Sakurai, and N. Tsuchiya, Tsukuba University, Tsukuba; H. Sugimura, Hamamatsu University, Hamamatsu; Y. Tsubono, Tohoku University, Sendai; the late M. Kabuto, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba; S. Tominaga, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya; M. Iida W. Ajiki, and A. Ioka, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka; S. Sato, Osaka Medical Center for Health Science and Promotion, Osaka; N. Yasuda, Kochi University, Nankoku; K. Nakamura, Niigata University, Niigata; S. Kono, Kyushu University, Fukuoka; K. Suzuki, Research Institute for Brain and Blood Vessels Akita, Akita; the late Y. Takashima and M. Yoshida, Kyorin University, Mitaka; E. Maruyama, Kobe University, Kobe; the late M. Yamaguchi, Y. Matsumura, S. Sasaki, and S. Watanabe, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo; T. Kadowaki, Tokyo University, Tokyo; M. Noda and T. Mizoue, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo; Y. Kawaguchi, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo; H. Shimizu, Sakihae Institute, Gifu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Iwasaki, M., Inoue, M., Sasazuki, S. et al. Plasma tea polyphenol levels and subsequent risk of breast cancer among Japanese women: a nested case–control study. Breast Cancer Res Treat 124, 827–834 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0916-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0916-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation