The association of fat and other macronutrients with breast cancer: a case-control study from

S_y The Greek diet is characterized by a high total fat but low saturated fat intake. In a hospital-based cae-control study of femal breast cancer conducted in Athens (1989-91), 820 patients with confirmed cancer of the breast we compared with 795 orthopaedic patient controls and 753 hospital vistor controls, matched to the cass by age and intrvewer. Diet was asertained through a seniquantitative food frequency questonnaire; macronutrient intakes wre eImated from the nutrient content of a se lted typical portion size for each secified food item, summed for al items. Logistic was used to analyse the data, controlling for demographic and reprodute risk factors for breast caner as well as for total energy intake and mutual confounding influe among nutnients. There was no significant or suggestive association of total protein, total fat, categoris of fat or total carbohydrates with breast cancer risk. Thus, the mutually adjusted relative risk per qmntile and (in parenthesis) 95 % confiden interval wre: for protein, 1.06 (0.94-1.20); saturated fat, 0.99 (0.89-1.11); monounsaturated fat, 0.97 (0.88-1.07), polyunsaturated fat, 1.05 (0.97-1.13); and total carbohydrates, 1.03 (0.94-1.12). In alternative analyical a es only total proteina to be positivy td to the occurrmee of breast cancer with some consstency, but the results were far from statistically significant. These findings do not support a role for fat or other energy-generating nutients in the aetioogy of breast cancer