Association of Dietary Lignan Intake with Breast Cancer Risk

Newswise — Susan McCann, PhD, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), will discuss lignans and their role in cancer development at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Washington, DC.

Dr. McCann will discuss the findings of her research in an oral presentation, "Dietary Lignan Intakes and Risk of Breast Cancer by Tumor Estrogen Receptor Status," Tuesday, April 4, 12:55 " 1:10 pm, Room 206, Washington Convention Center.

Lignans are naturally occurring phytoestrogens found in vegetables, fruits, seeds and grains that possess a number of characteristics that could affect hormone metabolism and breast cancer development. This research suggests that a negative association of lignans with breast cancer may be stronger for ER negative tumors. A reduction in ER negative tumors is important because these tumors are more difficult to treat.

Researchers examined the association of dietary lignan intake with ER negative and ER positive breast cancer risk in the Western New York Exposures and Breast Cancer Study, a study of 1,122 women with primary breast cancer and 2,036 women without cancer. Women were asked about intakes of over 100 foods in the past several years, from which dietary lignan intakes were then calculated. Lignan intake was unrelated to ER positive breast cancer in either pre- or post-menopausal women. Among premenopausal women only, those in the highest versus lowest quartile of lignan intake had an approximately 50 percent reduction in risk of ER negative breast cancer.

Dr. McCann's research interests include nutritional and molecular epidemiology including the impact of diet on cancer of the reproductive organs. She is currently conducting an investigation of the relationship between dietary phytoestrogen intake on hormone metabolism.

Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. Members include more than 24,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers, health care professionals, and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and in more than 60 other countries.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation's first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation's leading cancer centers. For more information, visit RPCI's website at , call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail [email protected].