Methyl-Deficient Diets and Risks of Breast Cancer Among African-American Women: A Case-Control Study by Methylation Status of the ER Gene
Abstract
This is the final report of our case-control study testing the hypothesis that methyl-deficient diets are more likely to be related to breast cancer with methylated CpG islands of the estrogen-receptor (ER) gene. Cases were 304 African-American patients pathologically diagnosed with breast cancer during 1995-1998 and who lived in three counties, Tennessee. Controls were 305 African-American women without breast cancer, who were selected through random-digit dialing and frequency matched to cases by 5-year age range and county. Information on dietary intake and other risk factors were collected through telephone interviews. Dietary methyl-components were defined based on dietary folate and methionine intake and alcohol consumption. Tumor tissue samples were collected for the measurement of methylation status of the ER genes. Our preliminary results showed that the odds ratio (OR) estimates for lower folate intake were 1.53 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60-4.04) for cases with methylated genes, 0.46 (95%CI, 0.18-1.16) for cases with un-methylated genes, and 1.40 (95%CI 0.61-3.20) for cases with unknown methylation status (presumably including cases with both methylated and un-methylated genes). No consistent results were obtained for methionine intake and alcohol use. Although somewhat suggestive, these preliminary results did not show a coherent pattern coinciding with the study hypothesis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA394779
Entities
People
- Kangmin Zhu
- Nasar U. Ahmed
Organizations
- Meharry Medical College