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Dietary lipids and endometrial cancer: the current epidemiologic evidence

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Abstract

Background

Because dietary fat has been postulated to affect obesity and estrogen levels, two important risk factors for endometrial cancer, its association with this disease has received some attention. We summarize here the current evidence for several dietary lipids.

Methods

Searches were conducted to identify peer-reviewed manuscripts up to December 2006. Two cohort studies and nine case–control studies were included in meta-analyses.

Results

Random-effects summary estimates for case–control studies were 1.24 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.41) per 10% kcal from total fat and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.47) per 10 g/1,000 kcal of saturated fat. The only cohort study evaluating total fat and saturated fat did not find an association. We estimated a 35% increased risk (95% CI: 0.96, 1.90) per 150 mg/1,000 kcal of cholesterol intake, based on six case–control studies. For animal fat (per 10 g/1,000 kcal) the summary estimates were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.96) and 1.34 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.69) for two cohort and four case–control studies, respectively.

Conclusions

Case–control data suggest an increased risk for total, saturated, and animal fat. However, the limited available cohort data do not support these associations. Additional data, particularly from prospective studies, are needed before conclusions can be drawn.

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Abbreviations

WCRF:

World Cancer Research Fund International

AICR:

American Institute for Cancer Research

SLR:

Systematic Literature Review

OR:

Odds ratio

RR:

Relative risk

CI:

Confidence interval

FFQ:

Food frequency questionnaire

BMI:

Body mass index

HRT:

Hormone replacement therapy

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank James Thomas for his valuable help with the data extraction Access® program. Funding: This work was funded in part by the WCRF and NIH-K07 CA095666. Although this work was funded in part by WCRF, interpretation of the evidence may not represent the views of WCRF and our conclusions may differ from those in the 2007 WCRF report summarizing evidence related to food, nutrition, physical activity, and cancer risk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 195 Little Albany St, 5568, New Brunswick, NJ, 08903, USA

    Elisa V. Bandera & Dina M. Gifkins

  2. Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USA

    Lawrence H. Kushi

  3. School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA

    Elisa V. Bandera, Dirk F. Moore & Dina M. Gifkins

  4. Epidemiology and Surveillance Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Marjorie L. McCullough

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  1. Elisa V. Bandera
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  2. Lawrence H. Kushi
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  5. Marjorie L. McCullough
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Correspondence to Elisa V. Bandera.

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Bandera, E.V., Kushi, L.H., Moore, D.F. et al. Dietary lipids and endometrial cancer: the current epidemiologic evidence. Cancer Causes Control 18, 687–703 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-007-9021-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-007-9021-9

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