DIET AND PREMENOPAUSAL BILATERAL BREAST-CANCER - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

We investigated associations between diet and premenopausal bilateral breast cancer in a familial matched case-control study. We studied 140 cases from population-based registries in Los Angeles County (Califor nia) and Connecticut, and from the major hospitals in the southern par ts of the Province of Quebec. Unaffected sisters of the cases served a s matched controls (222 total). Dietary intake were assessed with a fo od frequency questionnaire. Total fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsatu rated fat, oleic acid, and linoleic acid intake was inversely associat ed with premenopausal bilateral breast cancer risk. Consumption of car bohydrates (and sweetened beverages) was associated with an increased risk. We observed no associations for dietary fiber, antioxidants, or major food groupings, but we did observe inverse associations for inta ke of low fat dairy products and tofu. These findings suggest that mon ounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as soy foods, might red uce the risk of premenopausal bilateral breast cancer.