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Allium vegetable consumption, garlic supplement intake, and female breast carcinoma incidence
E Dorant1, P A van den Brandt, R A Goldbohm
1Department of Epidemiology, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
The risk of female breast carcinoma in relation to onion and leek consumption and the use of garlic supplements was evaluated in the Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer. Onions, leeks, and garlic contain specific compounds which might act as antimutagens. Animal experiments also suggest a possible role for these compounds in inhibition of mammary carcinogenesis. The Netherlands Cohort Study was started in 1986 among 120,852 Dutch men and women, aged 55-69 years, with collecting information on usual diet and important lifestyle characteristics. After 3.3 years of follow-up, 469 incident female breast carcinoma cases and 1713 female members of a randomly sampled control subcohort were available for analysis. Intake of onions or leeks was not associated with breast carcinoma risk after controlling for dietary and nondietary risk factors: the rate ratios in the highest intake categories were 0.95 (95% confidence interval 0.61-1.47) and 1.08 (95% confidence interval 0.79-1.48), respectively, compared with the lowest intake categories. The tests for trend in the rate ratios were neither significant. Garlic supplement use was also not associated with breast carcinoma incidence (rate ratio = 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.58-1.31). In conclusion, we found no association between the consumption of onions or leeks, or garlic supplement use, and the incidence of female breast carcinoma.
Insights
This study found no link between eating onions or leeks, or taking garlic supplements, and the risk of developing female breast cancer. Further research into these vegetables and cancer prevention is not supported by this data.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Nutritional Science
- Oncology
Background:
- Onions, leeks, and garlic contain antimutagenic compounds.
- Animal studies suggest these compounds may inhibit mammary carcinogenesis.
- The Netherlands Cohort Study investigated diet and cancer risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between onion and leek consumption and garlic supplement use with female breast carcinoma risk.
- To analyze data from a large prospective cohort study in the Netherlands.
- To determine if specific dietary factors influence breast cancer incidence.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving 120,852 participants (aged 55-69) starting in 1986.
- Dietary habits and lifestyle characteristics were collected at baseline.
- Follow-up for 3.3 years identified 469 female breast carcinoma cases and a control subcohort.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between onion or leek intake and breast carcinoma risk.
- Rate ratios for highest vs. lowest intake categories of onions and leeks were 0.95 and 1.08, respectively.
- Garlic supplement use also showed no association with breast carcinoma incidence (rate ratio = 0.87).
Conclusions:
- Consumption of onions or leeks, and use of garlic supplements, were not associated with female breast carcinoma incidence in this cohort.
- The potential antimutagenic or chemopreventive effects of these foods were not supported by this study.
- Further investigation into the role of these specific dietary components in breast cancer prevention is not warranted based on these findings.