PHYTOESTROGENS & ENTDOMETRIAL CANCER

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Phytoestrogens, physical activity and endometrial cancer

Phytoestrogens, physical activity and endometrial cancer

Since endometrial cancer is highly estrogen-dependent and both phytoestrogens

and physical activity can have antiestrogenic effects, the primary focus of

this study is to determine whether higher levels of phytoestrogen consumption

and physical activity reduce the risk of endometrial cancer. To answer these

questions, we conducted a population-based case-control study in the greater San

Francisco Bay area. A total of 970 African American, Latina, and white women,

ages 35-79, participated in a personal interview. Five hundred of these women

had been diagnosed with endometrial cancer. To date we have found that

dietary phytoestrogens, such as from soy foods or certain seeds and dried

fruits,

can reduce endometrial cancer risk, particularly among overweight postmenopausal

women. Additional analyses are still underway. The results of this research

may have important implications for our understanding of the causes of

endometrial cancer and for new approaches to prevention.

NCCC Principal Investigator: Pamela L. Horn-Ross, Ph.D.

Collaborators:

NCCC: Esther M. , Ph.D.

UCSF: n M. Lee, Ph.D.

Funding: National Cancer Institute

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Publication: Horn-Ross PL, EM, Canchola AJ, SL, Lee MM.

Phytoestrogen intake and endometrial cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst 2003;

95(15):1158-1164.

Phytoestrogen intake and endometrial cancer risk.

Horn-Ross PL, EM, Canchola AJ, SL, Lee MM.

Northern California Cancer Center, Union City, CA 94587, USA.

phornros@...

BACKGROUND: The development of endometrial cancer is largely related to

prolonged exposure to unopposed estrogens. Phytoestrogens (i.e., weak estrogens

found in plant foods) may have antiestrogenic effects. We evaluated the

associations between dietary intake of seven specific compounds representing

three

classes of phytoestrogens (isoflavones, coumestans, and lignans) and the risk of

endometrial cancer. METHODS: In a case-control study from the greater San

Francisco Bay Area, we collected dietary information from 500 African American,

Latina, and white women aged 35-79 years who were diagnosed with endometrial

cancer between 1996 and 1999 and from 470 age- and ethnicity-matched control

women

identified through random-digit dialing. Unconditional logistic regression

analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals

(CIs). RESULTS: Isoflavone (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.37 to 0.93 for the highest

versus lowest quartile of exposure) and lignan (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.44 to 1.1)

consumptions were inversely related to the risk of endometrial cancer. These

associations were slightly stronger in postmenopausal women (OR = 0.44, 95% CI

= 0.26 to 0.77 and OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.97 for isoflavones and

lignans, respectively). Obese postmenopausal women consuming relatively low

amounts

of phytoestrogens had the highest risk of endometrial cancer (OR = 6.9, 95% CI

= 3.3 to 14.5 compared with non-obese postmenopausal women consuming

relatively high amounts of isoflavones); however, the interaction between

obesity and

phytoestrogen intake was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Some

phytoestrogenic compounds, at the levels consumed in the typical American-style

diet, are associated with reduced risk of endometrial cancer.

PMID: 12902445 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]