Association between dietary fat and breast cancer in Puerto Rican postmenopausal women attending a breast cancer clinic.
OBJECTIVE
A pilot case-control study was conducted to examine the possible association between dietary fat intake and the development of postmenopausal breast cancer.


BACKGROUND
Studies regarding the association between dietary fat intake and the development of breast cancer among postmenopausal women are lacking in Puerto Rico.


METHODS
Eighteen cases and eighteen controls were interviewed to obtain sociodemographic information, medical history and dietary fat intake. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire containing 67 food items was used to collect the dietary information.


RESULTS
Unadjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) showed a non-significant positive association for total fat intake and the development of postmenopausal breast cancer (OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 0.42-5.90, p = 0.25). The same non significant positive association was found for saturated fat intake (OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 0.42-5.90, p = 0.25). Polyunsaturated fat (OR = 1.25; 95% CI: 0.34-4.64, p = 0.37) and monounsaturated fat (OR = 1.25; 95% CI: 0.34-4.64, p = 0.37) were also positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer, although the associations were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
These results are consistent with other case-control studies that have shown non-significant positive associations between total fat and the different components of dietary fat and postmenopausal breast cancer.
Santiago
E
E
Department of Human Development, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00936-5067.
González
M J
MJ
Matos
M I
MI
Pérez
C M
CM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000009:adverse effects; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012984:Software
D004041:Dietary Fats; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005227:Fatty Acids