Associations between Preserved Foods and Breast Cancer Risk in Hong Kong Chinese Women

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Nutritional Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Preserved foods, like cured meats, may contain nitrates and nitrites, potential contributors to breast cancer development.
• Existing evidence on the link between preserved food consumption and breast cancer risk is limited.
• This study investigates the association between specific preserved foods and breast cancer risk in Hong Kong Chinese women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between consumption of cured meat, pickled vegetables, canned meat, and canned fruit/vegetables and breast cancer risk.
• To analyze these associations across different breast cancer subtypes.
• To provide evidence for potential dietary recommendations for breast cancer prevention.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 1,307 breast cancer cases and 1,050 age-matched controls in Hong Kong.
• Dietary information, including preserved food intake, was collected using a standardized questionnaire.
• Unconditional multiple logistic regression and stratified analyses were employed to assess the associations and adjust for confounders.

Main Results:

• Cured meat consumption showed a significant positive association with breast cancer risk (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR], 1.32).
• Intake of cured meat once or more per week was associated with a substantially higher risk (AOR, 2.66).
• Canned fruit/vegetable consumption was borderline associated with increased risk, particularly for HER2-positive subtypes, but this finding was attenuated after confounder adjustment.

Conclusions:

• Cured meat consumption is positively associated with an increased risk of breast cancer among Hong Kong Chinese women.
• Cured meat intake may represent a novel, modifiable risk factor for breast cancer.
• Further large prospective cohort studies are warranted to confirm these findings and inform public health strategies.