Does High Fiber Consumption Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer?
Posted: Friday, May 1, 2020
An increased consumption of total and soluble fiber appears to be associated with a reduced breast cancer incidence, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies published in Cancer. Maryam S. Farvid, PhD, of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, and colleagues, suggested that simple dietary modifications may reduce the risk of breast cancer, but a randomized clinical trial is needed to confirm these findings
“Fiber may decrease incident breast cancer by controlling blood glucose and improving insulin sensitivity,” the authors proposed. “In addition, fiber may increase serum concentrations of sex hormone–binding globulin, as well as affect the composition of intestinal microbiota and inhibit colonic β-D-glucuronidase activity.”
This analysis compiled data from 17 prospective cohort studies, 2 nested case-control studies, and 1 clinical trial that reported the relationship between fiber consumption and breast cancer incidence. The results suggested that high total and soluble fiber consumption is associated with a decreased breast cancer risk (pooled relative risk = 0.92). “The reduction in risk appears to be similar for intake of all sources of fiber (cereal, fruit, vegetable, and legume), although statistical significance was not reached, except for fruit fiber,” the investigators stated. High total fiber intake was associated with an 8% lower risk of both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancers (pooled relative risk = 0.82). The investigators also observed an inverse, but not significant, association between high total fiber consumption and incidence of both estrogen receptor–positive/progesterone receptor–positive as well as estrogen receptor–negative/progesterone receptor–negative tumors.
Furthermore, insoluble fiber had a suggestive inverse association with breast cancer risk. A decrease in breast cancer risk was observable from the intake of all dietary fiber sources. However, fruit fiber provided the most significant results.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com.
