Consumption of vegetables and fruits and risk of breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The intake of vegetables and fruits has been thought to protect against breast cancer. Most of the evidence comes from case-control studies, but a recent pooled analysis of the relatively few published cohort studies suggests no significantly reduced breast cancer risk is associated with vegetable and fruit consumption.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the relation between total and specific vegetable and fruit intake and the incidence of breast cancer.


METHODS
Prospective study of 285,526 women between the ages of 25 and 70 years, participating in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, recruited from 8 of the 10 participating European countries. Participants completed a dietary questionnaire in 1992-1998 and were followed up for incidence of cancer until 2002.


METHODS
Relative risks for breast cancer by total and specific vegetable and fruit intake. Analyses were stratified by age at recruitment and study center. Relative risks were adjusted for established breast cancer risk factors.


RESULTS
During 1,486,402 person-years (median duration of follow-up, 5.4 years), 3659 invasive incident breast cancer cases were reported. No significant associations between vegetable or fruit intake and breast cancer risk were observed. Relative risks for the highest vs the lowest quintile were 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-1.14) for total vegetables, 1.09 (95% CI , 0.94-1.25) for total fruit, and 1.05 (95% CI , 0.92-1.20) for fruit and vegetable juices. For 6 specific vegetable subgroups no associations with breast cancer risk were observed either.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the period of follow-up is limited for now, the results suggest that total or specific vegetable and fruit intake is not associated with risk for breast cancer.
van Gils
Carla H
CH
Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Peeters
Petra H M
PH
Bueno-de-Mesquita
H Bas
HB
Boshuizen
Hendriek C
HC
Lahmann
Petra H
PH
Clavel-Chapelon
Françoise
F
Thiébaut
Anne
A
Kesse
Emmanuelle
E
Sieri
Sabina
S
Palli
Domenico
D
Tumino
Rosario
R
Panico
Salvatore
S
Vineis
Paolo
P
Gonzalez
Carlos A
CA
Ardanaz
Eva
E
Sánchez
Maria-José
MJ
Amiano
Pilar
P
Navarro
Carmen
C
Quirós
José R
JR
Key
Timothy J
TJ
Allen
Naomi
N
Khaw
Kay-Tee
KT
Bingham
Sheila A
SA
Psaltopoulou
Theodora
T
Koliva
Maria
M
Trichopoulou
Antonia
A
Nagel
Gabriële
G
Linseisen
Jakob
J
Boeing
Heiner
H
Berglund
Göran
G
Wirfält
Elisabet
E
Hallmans
Göran
G
Lenner
Per
P
Overvad
Kim
K
Tjønneland
Anne
A
Olsen
Anja
A
Lund
Eiliv
E
Engeset
Dagrun
D
Alsaker
Elin
E
Norat
Teresa
T
Kaaks
Rudolf
R
Slimani
Nadia
N
Riboli
Elio
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004032:Diet; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables