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Serum enterolactone concentration is not associated with breast cancer risk in a nested case‐control study
Author(s) -
Kilkkinen Annamari,
Virtamo Jarmo,
Vartiainen Erkki,
Sankila Risto,
Virtanen Mikko J.,
Adlercreutz Herman,
Pietinen Pirjo
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.11519
Subject(s) - enterolactone , nested case control study , breast cancer , medicine , odds ratio , case control study , quartile , endocrinology , population , physiology , cancer , oncology , confidence interval , phytoestrogens , estrogen , environmental health
The lignan enterolactone produced by the intestinal microflora from dietary precursors has been hypothesized to protect against hormone‐dependent cancers. We conducted a nested case‐control study to examine the relationship between serum enterolactone concentration and risk of breast cancer. Enterolactone concentrations were measured by time‐resolved fluoroimmunoassay in serum collected at 4 independent cross‐sectional population surveys from 206 women with breast cancer diagnosed during follow‐up (mean 8.0 years) and from 215 controls frequency‐matched to cases by study cohort, 5‐year age group and study area. Mean serum enterolactone concentration (nmol/l) did not significantly differ between case and control subjects [25.2 (SD 22.2) vs. 24.0 (SD 21.3), respectively]. Odds ratios for breast cancer risk estimated by conditional logistic regression for increasing concentration of enterolactone in quartiles were 1.00 (referent), 1.67 (95% CI 0.95–2.95), 1.71 (95% CI 0.96–3.06) and 1.30 (95% CI 0.73–2.31), and p for trend was 0.48. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that high serum enterolactone concentration is associated with reduced risk of breast cancer. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.