ELEVATED LEVELS OF PLASMA TRIGLYCERIDES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HISTOLOGICALLY DEFINED PREMENOPAUSAL BREAST-CANCER RISK

Lipids and lipoproteins have been associated with breast cancer risk; however, published results have been inconsistent. To clarify these as sociations, we measured fasting lipids in women undergoing breast biop sies. A case-control study examined the association of fasting levels of lipids with histologically defined breast cancer risk. Four groups of premenopausal women were assembled on the basis of histological app earance of breast tissue: 1) no epithelial proliferation (n = 102), 2) proliferation without atypia (n = 53), 3) atypical hyperplasia or car cinoma in situ (n = 53), and 4) node-negative invasive cancer (n = 102 ). A postoperative fasting blood specimen was analyzed for cholesterol , high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein choles terol, and triglycerides. Demographics, risk factors, diet, physical a ctivity, fasting weight, and skin-fold thickness were measured. Trigly ceride levels were significantly higher in women with node-negative in vasive cancer (0.94 +/- 1.04 mg/ml) than in those with no epithelial p roliferation (0.83 +/- 1.04 mg/ml, p = 0.03). This association persist ed after adjustment for age, body size, lipids, reproductive and famil ial risk factors, and previous benign breast problems (p < 0.01), in k eeping with an independent association of elevated triglycerides with breast cancer risk.