Galactose consumption and metabolism in relation to the risk of ovarian cancer.
In a case-control study, consumption of dairy foods by 235 white women with epithelial ovarian cancer and by 239 control women, and activity of red blood cell galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase (transferase) in a subset of 145 cases and 127 controls were determined. Yogurt was consumed at least monthly by 49% of cases and 36% of controls. The mean transferase activity of cases was significantly lower than that of controls. When a ratio of lactose consumption to transferase (L/T) was calculated, cases had a mean L/T of 1.17 compared with 0.98 for controls; there was a highly significant trend for increasing ovarian cancer risk with increasing L/T ratio. Lactose consumption may be a dietary risk factor and transferase a genetic risk factor for ovarian cancer.
Cramer
D W
DW
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Harlow
B L
BL
Willett
W C
WC
Welch
W R
WR
Bell
D A
DA
Scully
R E
RE
Ng
W G
WG
Knapp
R C
RC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000009:adverse effects; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005690:Galactose / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007785:Lactose / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology*; D010298:Parity; D012067:Religion; D012307:Risk Factors; D005694:UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D005694:UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase; D007785:Lactose; D005690:Galactose