Printed in U.S.A. Serum Carotenoids and Breast Cancer Rohan Invited Commentary: Serum Carotenoids and Breast Cancer

yu.edu). A vast amount of epidemiologic evidence suggests that a relatively high fruit and vegetable intake is associated with reduced risk of cancer (1). Although findings for breast can-cer are less consistent than those for cancers at several other anatomic sites, including the mouth and pharynx, esopha-gus, stomach, and lung (1), a recent meta-analysis suggested that women with a relatively high vegetable consumption have a 25 percent reduction in breast cancer risk, and those with a relatively high fruit consumption have approximately a 6 percent reduction in risk (2). Vegetables and fruits contain numerous bioactive and potentially anticarcinogenic substances, including carotenes, dithiolthiones, flavonoids, indoles, isothiocyanates, phenols, folic acid, and vitamins C and E (3). The many possibl