DHA, Carotenoids May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

DHA, Carotenoids May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

MONTREAL--A population-based study of more than 800 French Canadians suggestshigher intakes of total carotenoids and omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) mayreduce the risk of breast cancer. The study was published in the May issue of TheAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition (79, 5:857-64, 2004) (www.ajcn.org).

Researchers from the Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite deMontreal-Hotel-Dieu used food-frequency questionnaires submitted by 414 womenwith breast cancer and 429 controls. While no significant association wasapparent between any individual or total carotenoids and breast cancer risk,after adjustment for major determinants, beta-carotene was related to a reducedrisk of breast cancer in women who never used hormone replacement therapy andalpha-carotene was linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in premenopausalwomen. In postmenopausal women, total carotenoids were positively associatedwith breast cancer risk in women with a high intake of the omega-6 arachindonicacid (ARA), but inversely associated if the women had a high intake of theomega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).