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Plasma micronutrients, trace elements, and breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers: an exploratory study

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Abstract

Purpose

Few studies have evaluated the role of micronutrients or trace elements in breast cancer development among BRCA1 mutation carriers. To investigate a possible role of dietary and environmental exposures on cancer risk, we undertook an exploratory study, using a matched case–control design (n = 48 cases and 96 controls), to evaluate the relationships between plasma levels of 14 micronutrients and breast cancer risk among BRCA1 mutation carriers in Poland.

Methods

We estimated the univariate odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for breast cancer associated with plasma levels for each of 14 micronutrients.

Results

Of the 14 analytes quantified, significant differences between cases and controls were seen for two (iron and retinol; p = 0.009 and p = 0.03, respectively). Women in the highest tertile of plasma iron had a 57 % lower risk, compared with those in the lowest quartile (OR = 0.43; 95 % CI 0.18–1.04; p for trend = 0.06). Increasing antimony levels were associated with an increased risk of breast cancer (p for trend = 0.05). Women in the highest tertile had a 2.43-fold increase in breast cancer risk compared with women in the lowest tertile (OR = 2.43; 95 % CI 1.00–5.91).

Conclusions

This study provides some preliminary evidence regarding a role of diet, specifically iron and antimony, in the etiology of BRCA1-associated breast cancer. Prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings.

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Acknowledgments

The project was supported by the Polish Entrepreneurs Foundation. Joanne Kotsopoulos is the recipient of a Cancer Care Ontario Research Chair in Population Studies. Steven Narod is the recipient of a Canada Research Chair tier I.

Conflict of interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women’s College Research Institute, 790 Bay Street, Room 750, 7th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 1N8, Canada

    Joanne Kotsopoulos & Steven A. Narod

  2. Hereditary Cancer Center, Pomeranian Medical University, Regional Oncology Hospital, Al. Powstancow Wlkp.72, 70-111, Szczecin, Poland

    Grzegorz Sukiennicki, Magdalena Muszyńska, Krzysztof Kąklewski, Katarzyna Durda, Katarzyna Jaworska, Tomasz Huzarski, Jacek Gronwald, Tomasz Byrski, Oleg Ashuryk, Tadeusz Dębniak, Aleksandra Tołoczko-Grabarek, Anna Jakubowska & Jan Lubinski

  3. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Jagiellońska 13-15, 85-067, Bydgoszcz, Poland

    Daniel Gackowski & Ryszard Oliński

  4. Prophylactics and Epidemiology Centre, Kazimierza Wielkiego 24/26, 61-863, Poznan, Poland

    Małgorzata Stawicka & Dariusz Godlewski

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  1. Joanne Kotsopoulos
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  2. Grzegorz Sukiennicki
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  17. Anna Jakubowska
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  18. Steven A. Narod
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  19. Jan Lubinski
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Correspondence to Joanne Kotsopoulos.

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Kotsopoulos, J., Sukiennicki, G., Muszyńska, M. et al. Plasma micronutrients, trace elements, and breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers: an exploratory study. Cancer Causes Control 23, 1065–1074 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-012-9975-0

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