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Associations between mammographic density and serum and dietary cholesterol

  • Epidemiology
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Abstract

Although high mammographic density is a risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer, its etiology remains unclear. We examined whether serum and dietary cholesterol, which increase breast cancer risk and are involved in endogenous estrogen formation, were associated with increased mammographic density. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 302 healthy, sedentary postmenopausal women, aged 50–74 years, enrolled in the Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention Trial between 2003 and 2006. In multiple linear regression models, no significant associations were observed between serum lipids and percent density or dense tissue area (Percent density: b (change in square root percent density per unit change in cholesterol level) = −0.06 (95%CI = −0.26 to 0.13); b = 0.06 (95%CI = −0.48 to 0.61); and b = −0.11 (95%CI = −0.33 to 0.10) for total cholesterol, high-, and low-density lipoprotein, respectively; similar results found for dense area). Alcohol consumption modified the association between triglycerides and percent density (>1 drink/day: b = −0.94 (95%CI = −1.79 to −0.10); ≤1 drink/day: b = 0.19 (95%CI = −0.12 to 0.50); and no alcohol consumption: b = 0.15 (95%CI = −0.44 to 0.73). We found no evidence indicating any association between dietary and serum cholesterol levels and mammographic density.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a research grant (#017468) from the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance. Ms. Tamburrini was funded by a research award from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. Dr. Friedenreich was funded by career awards from Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. Dr. Courneya is funded by the Canada Research Chairs program. Study set-up was completed by Kim van der Hoek and Marla Orenstein. Study coordination was done by Rosemary Crosby. Data verification was done by Sandra Blitz. Mammograms were digitized and analyzed by Jenny Gougeon and Anoma Gunasekara.

Conflicts of interest statement

No conflicts of interest exist for any of the authors of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Ame-Lia Tamburrini & Christine M. Friedenreich

  2. Cancer Research Center of Hawai’i, University of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Christy G. Woolcott

  3. Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research, Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Norman F. Boyd

  4. Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Martin J. Yaffe

  5. Cross Cancer Institute, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Tim Terry & Yutaka Yasui

  6. Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Charlotte A. Jones & Scott B. Patten

  7. Faculty of Physical Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Kerry S. Courneya

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  1. Ame-Lia Tamburrini
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Correspondence to Christine M. Friedenreich.

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Tamburrini, AL., Woolcott, C.G., Boyd, N.F. et al. Associations between mammographic density and serum and dietary cholesterol. Breast Cancer Res Treat 125, 181–189 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0927-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-0927-7

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