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Abstract
It has been suggested in some reports that dairy product consumption may increase the risk of breast cancer. This review gives a brief overview of the etiology of breast cancer and in particular the roles of fat, bovine growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 and estrogens. Evidence from animal studies and epidemiology does not support a role for fat in the etiology of breast cancer. The daily intake of insulin-like growth factor-1 and biologically active estrogens from dairy products is minute in comparison to the daily endogenous secretion of these factors in women, whereas bovine growth hormone is biologically inactive in humans. On the other hand, milk contains rumenic acid, vaccenic acid, branched chain fatty acids, butyric acid, cysteine-rich whey proteins, calcium and vitamin D; components, which have the potential to help prevent breast cancer. Evidence from more than 40 case-control studies and 12 cohort studies does not support an association between dairy product consumption and the risk of breast cancer.
Key teaching points:
• The etiology of breast cancer is still largely undetermined. A women’s reproductive history provides the most consistent evidence for risk, but the relative risk for most risk factors is close to the null value of 1.
• More than 40 case-control and 12 cohort studies do not suggest that dairy product consumption is associated with the risk of breast cancer.
• It has been suggested by some researchers that dairy products may increase the risk of breast cancer due to their content of fat, insulin-like growth factor-1, estrogens or growth hormone. However, the available evidence does not support this association.
• Animal studies and epidemiology do not suggest a role for fat in the etiology of breast cancer. Bovine growth hormone is biologically inactive in humans. Daily intake of insulin-like growth factor-1 and biologically active estrogens is insignificant compared to daily endogenous secretion in women.
• Milk contains rumenic, vaccenic, butyric and branched chain fatty acids, whey protein, calcium and vitamin D, which have the potential to protect against breast cancer.
Key teaching points:
• The etiology of breast cancer is still largely undetermined. A women’s reproductive history provides the most consistent evidence for risk, but the relative risk for most risk factors is close to the null value of 1.
• More than 40 case-control and 12 cohort studies do not suggest that dairy product consumption is associated with the risk of breast cancer.
• It has been suggested by some researchers that dairy products may increase the risk of breast cancer due to their content of fat, insulin-like growth factor-1, estrogens or growth hormone. However, the available evidence does not support this association.
• Animal studies and epidemiology do not suggest a role for fat in the etiology of breast cancer. Bovine growth hormone is biologically inactive in humans. Daily intake of insulin-like growth factor-1 and biologically active estrogens is insignificant compared to daily endogenous secretion in women.
• Milk contains rumenic, vaccenic, butyric and branched chain fatty acids, whey protein, calcium and vitamin D, which have the potential to protect against breast cancer.