Antioxidant vitamins could lower the breast cancer risk in Korean women

Antioxidant vitamins could lower the breast cancer risk in Korean women
(Hanyang University, Seoul-November 5, 2003)

"To investigate association between breast cancer risk and nutrient intake in Korean women, a case-control study was carried out, at Seoul, Korea. Incident cases (n=224) were identified through the cancer biopsy between February 1999 and December 2000 at two University hospitals in Seoul," researchers in South Korea report.

"Hospital-based controls (n=250) were selected from patients in the same hospitals, during the same periods. Food intake was investigated by semiquantitative frequency questionnaire (98 items) by trained dietitians. Subjects were asked to indicate the average food intake and vitamin supplement for a 12-month period of 3 years prior to the baseline phase," wrote M.H. Do and colleagues, Hanyang University, College of Human Ecology.

"In the investigation of vitamin supplement use, subjects were asked the average frequency of use, duration, dose, and the brand name of vitamin supplement (multivitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E). Nutrients were calorie adjusted by the residuals method," the researchers wrote.

"In this study, higher breast cancer risk incidence was not observed with higher intake of total fat and saturated fatty acids, however statistically significant trends with breast cancer incidence for total saturated fatty acids were found (p(trend)=.0458)," the researchers wrote.

"In analyses of vitamins, beta-carotene and vitamin C were significantly associated with decreasing risk of breast cancer. Dietary plus supplement of vitamins was not associated with breast cancer risk in this study. In conclusion, our findings suggest that antioxidant vitamins such as beta-carotene and vitamin C intake could lower the breast cancer risk in Korean women," the researchers concluded.

Do and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Korean Medical Science (Intake of dietary fat and vitamin in relation to breast cancer risk in Korean women : A case-control study. J Korean Med Sci, 2003;18(4):534-540).

For additional information, contact S.S. Lee, Hanyang University, College of Human Ecology, Department of Food & Nutrition, 17 Haengdang Dong, Seoul 133791, South Korea.

The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Epidemiology and Oncology. This article was prepared by Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports.