title: Dietary phytoestrogens and the risk of ovarian cancer in the women's lifestyle and health cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dietary intake of phytoestrogens has been inversely associated to hormone-dependent cancers, such as prostate and breast cancers. Few studies have investigated the association between ovarian cancer and intake of phytoestrogens. We evaluated the associations between intake of phytoestrogens (isoflavonoids/lignans/coumestrol) and fiber (vegetable/cereal) and risk of ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1991-1992 a prospective population-based cohort study among Swedish women was conducted, including 47,140 women with complete dietary questionnaire data. During follow-up until December 2007, 163 women developed invasive (n = 117) and borderline (n = 46) ovarian cancers. The median follow-up time was 16 years and total person year was 747,178. Cox proportional hazards models were conducted to estimate multivariate risk ratios, 95% CI for associations with risk of ovarian cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no association between intake of phytoestrogens or fiber and overall ovarian cancer risk. In addition, we found no statistically significant association between intake of specific food items rich in phytoestrogens (berries, nuts, beans/soy, and crisp or whole-grain bread) and ovarian cancer risk overall. Fiber and coumestrol was inversely associated with borderline ovarian cancer, but not with invasive ovarian cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no association between intake of phytoestrogens or fiber and overall ovarian cancer risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phytoestrogens do not play a major etiologic role in ovarian cancer, at least among women in this Swedish cohort with low bean/soy intake. However, our results of a difference in the effect of fiber or coumestrol between invasive and borderline ovarian cancer need to be evaluated in larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic Research, Folkhälsan Research Center, Biomedicum Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hedelin
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Löf
authors.forename: Therese M-L
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adlercreutz
authors.forename: Elisabete
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weiderpass
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D048789:Phytoestrogens