Fruits, vegetables, and micronutrient intake in relation to breast cancer survival.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether fruit, vegetable, and micronutrient intake 1 year prior to breast cancer diagnosis is associated with a reduction in the subsequent risk of all-cause or breast cancer-specific mortality.


METHODS
Follow-up data from 1,235 invasive breast cancer cases age 25-98 years from the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project were analyzed. At the 1996-1997 case-control interview, respondents completed a food frequency questionnaire, which assessed dietary intake of fruits, vegetables, and vitamin supplement use in the previous 12 months. All-cause mortality (n=186 deaths) and breast cancer-specific mortality status (n=125 deaths, 67.2%) were determined through December 31, 2002.


RESULTS
Hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality were insignificantly reduced for intake of any fruits, fruit juices, and vegetables (HR=0.68, 95% CI: 0.42-1.09) and leafy vegetables (HR=0.72, 95% CI: 0.41-1.24) among post-menopausal women only. Both of these associations were more pronounced among those with ER+PR+ tumors (HR=0.54, 95% CI: 0.27-1.10, and HR=0.66, 95% CI: 0.33-1.31, respectively). Similar associations were observed for breast cancer-specific mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
In a cohort of women diagnosed with breast cancer, higher intake of fruits, vegetables, and micronutrients was associated with a non-significant survival advantage in post-menopausal women only.
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435, USA. finkb@email.unc.edu
Brian N
BN
Fink
Mia M
MM
Gaudet
Julie A
JA
Britton
Page E
PE
Abrahamson
Susan L
SL
Teitelbaum
Judith
J
Jacobson
Paula
P
Bell
Joyce A
JA
Thomas
Geoffrey C
GC
Kabat
Alfred I
AI
Neugut
Marilie D
MD
Gammon
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D014675:Vegetables
D018977:Micronutrients; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone