Dietary iron intake and breast cancer risk: modulation by an antioxidant supplementation.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate the association between dietary iron intake and breast cancer risk, and whether this association is modulated by antioxidant supplementation and lipid intake.
Results Summary
Higher dietary iron intake was associated with increased breast cancer risk, particularly in women not receiving antioxidants and those with higher lipid intake, supporting the hypothesis of iron-induced lipid peroxidation. No significant association was found in the antioxidant-supplemented group.
Population
4646 women from the SU.VI.MAX trial.
Effective Dosage
Not specified (assessed via repeated 24h dietary records).
Duration
Median follow-up of 12.6 years.
Interactions
Antioxidant supplementation and higher lipid intake modulated the association between iron and breast cancer risk.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
dietary iron intake | increase | breast cancer risk | women from the SU.VI.MAX trial | HRT3vs.T1=1.67 (1.02-2.71) | was associated with an increased | #1 |
dietary iron intake | increase | breast cancer risk | placebo group | HRT3vs.T1=2.80 (1.42-5.54) | was observed in the placebo group | #2 |
dietary iron intake | no change | breast cancer risk | antioxidant-supplemented group | - | was not observed in the antioxidant-supplemented group | #3 |
dietary iron intake | increase | breast cancer risk | women with higher lipid intake in the placebo group | - | was more specifically observed in women with higher lipid intake | #4 |
Experimental results suggested that iron-induced lipid peroxidation may explain the direct associations observed between red/processed meat intakes and colorectal and breast cancer risk. However, epidemiological evidence is lacking. Thus, we investigated the association between dietary iron intake and breast cancer risk, and its potential modulation by an antioxidant supplementation and lipid intake. This prospective study included 4646 women from the SU.VI.MAX trial (daily low-dose antioxidants vs. placebo). 188 incident breast cancers were diagnosed (median follow-up=12.6y). Dietary iron intake was assessed using repeated 24h dietary records. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were computed. Dietary iron intake was associated with an increased breast cancer risk (HRT3vs.T1=1.67 (1.02-2.71), P-trend=0.04). This association was observed in the placebo group (HRT3vs.T1=2.80 (1.42-5.54), P-trend=0.003), but not in the antioxidant-supplemented group (P-trend=0.7, P-interaction=0.1). Besides, in the placebo group, the increased breast cancer risk associated with dietary iron intake was more specifically observed in women with higher lipid intake (P-trend=0.046). These findings suggest that dietary iron intake may be associated with an increased breast cancer risk, especially in women who did not received antioxidants during the trial and who consumed more lipids. This supports the experimental results suggesting that breast cancer risk may be increased by iron-induced lipid peroxidation.