Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue, an indication of dietary fatty acids, and breast cancer prognosis.
OBJECTIVE
Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue is an indicator of the long-term ingestion pattern of several specific fatty acids. There is good correlation of antecedent diet with the essential fatty acids, and there is reflection of the diet with the fatty acids that can be synthesized. The relationship between the fatty acid levels and lymph node status and clinical outcome was examined.


METHODS
At the time of diagnostic surgery, 161 women with clinical stage T1NO breast cancer had subcutaneous adipose tissue (breast and abdominal) aspirated. The concentrations of 35 fatty acids, seven summed classes, and six fatty acid groups were measured by capillary gas chromatography. Lymph node status was determined with axillary dissection, and patients were followed-up (mean, 7.3 years) for clinical outcome.


RESULTS
There was no significant association of any adipose tissue fatty acids with overall survival, although few (16 of 161 women) died of breast cancer. However, the odds of having positive lymph nodes (57 of 161 women) were significantly higher for women with a greater adipose tissue proportion of oleic acid (odds ratio [OR], 7.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.78 to 32.1) or total saturated acids (OR, 8.43; 95% CI, 1.48 to 40.0) and significantly lower with a higher proportion of trans fatty acids (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.77), as assessed by multivariate logistic regression.


CONCLUSIONS
These data support previous research with dietary questionnaire methodology, suggesting that specific dietary fatty acids may be associated with breast cancer promotion. Further research with long-term clinical follow-up is necessary to investigate these observations in large, diverse populations before dietary recommendations can be envisioned.
Petrek
J A
JA
Department of Surgery, Biostatistics and Epidemiology, and Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. jpetrek@mskcc.org
Hudgins
L C
LC
Ho
M
M
Bajorunas
D R
DR
Hirsch
J
J
D000005:Abdomen; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D019301:Oleic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid