Dietary intake and breast density in high-risk women: a cross-sectional study

Women with a family history of breast cancer may be at higher risk for breast cancer, but few previous studies evaluating diet and breast cancer have focused on such women. The objective of the present study was to determine whether diet, a modifiable risk factor, is related to breast density among women at high genetic risk for breast cancer.

Women with at least one first-degree or second-degree relative with breast cancer or ovarian cancer participating in the Fox Chase Cancer Center Family Risk Assessment Program completed health history and food frequency questionnaires and received standard screening mammograms. Cranial-caudal mammographic images were classified into the four Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System categories ranging from 'entirely fatty' to 'extremely dense'. Logistic regression analysis using proportional odds models for polychotomous outcomes provided estimates of odds ratios for having a higher category versus a lower category of breast density.

Among 157 high-risk women, breast density was inversely associated with vitamin D intake (odds ratio for third tertile versus first tertile, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-1.0). In contrast, intakes above the median level for protein (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-6.9) and above the median level for animal protein (odds ratio, 4.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-10.3) were associated with higher breast density, but only among women whose family history did not reflect a known familial cancer syndrome or a breast cancer predisposition gene.

For women with a strong family history that was not associated with known cancer syndromes, dietary factors may be associated with breast density, a strong predictor of breast cancer risk. Since women with strong family history are often very motivated to change their lifestyle habits, further studies are needed to confirm whether changes in diet will change the breast density and the subsequent onset of breast cancer in these women.