Objective/Aim
This study aimed to determine the relationship between dietary fat intake and the development of breast cancer in women. The following are the specific objectives that are outlined in this article.
- To determine the relationship between dietary fat and breast cancer in women.
- To identify specific types of fat associated with breast cancer in women.
- To come up with a report that can be used to inform future studies about dietary fat as a risk factor to cancer among women.
Methods
The researchers worked with the hypothesis that high dietary fat intake increases breast cancer among women (Sieri 2). They used cohort studies design to conduct their investigation and determine if there is any relationship between fat intake and breast cancer. From their investigation, it was evident that high saturation of fat was associated with the risk of ER+PR+ disease (Barh 45). It means that women who have an excessive intake of dietary fat have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. The researcher used a large sample of 337,327 heterogeneous cohorts of women. 10,062 case patients developed cancer after 11 years. The sample population was only taken from women above 18 years. Men did not form part of the research. The process of selecting the participants was unbiased. The researcher identified the participants through stratified sampling from 10 European countries. The sample population was selected through correspondents in various hospitals across the 10 European countries. The outcome of the study strongly suggests that there is a close relationship between a high intake of dietary fat and the development of breast cancer (Lee 74). The researchers suggested that there is a need to conduct follow-up strategies to help in eliminating any doubts that one may have about this disease.
Results
The findings of the research revealed that women who had a high quintile of consumption of saturated fat had a significant risk of ER+PR+ breast cancer. The result also revealed a close relationship between ER+PR− breast cancer and high saturation of fat within the body. Development of HER2− the disease was also closely associated with a high intake of fat. However, the study did not find any statistically significant relationship between high intake of fat and ER−PR− disease, another major precursor to breast cancer. In summarizing their findings, the researchers concluded that there is a close relationship between high intake of dietary fat and most of the precursors to breast cancer. Women who had high saturation of fat in their bodies were at greater risk of getting breast cancer (Coulston, Boushey, and Ferruzzi 36). However, it is also important to note that the findings revealed that the cause of some of the precursors to cancer such as ER−PR− the disease is not in any way related to intake of fat.
Discussion
A critical analysis of this research reveals several strengths and weaknesses. The main strength of this study is the huge number of participants who were used to come up with the findings. 337,327 respondents were a huge number that makes this study very reliable. The fact that the study was conducted in 10 countries and involved so many experts also strengthens the finding (Carson 19). However, its main weakness is the time it took to complete it. Within 11 years, some dynamics might have changed (Legato 94). The findings can be generalized when analyzing the relationship between dietary fat and breast cancer in women.
References
Barh, Debmalya. Omics Approaches in Breast Cancer: Towards Next-Generation Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapy. New York: Cengage, 2014. Print.
Carson, Bernard. Integrative Nutrition Therapy: From Particles to Circuits. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2015. Print.
Coulston, Ann, Carol Boushey, and Mario Ferruzzi. Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease. London: McMillan, 2013. Print.
Lee, Edmond. Dietary Fat and Cancer: Genetic and Molecular Interactions. Boston, MA: Springer US, 2013. Print.
Legato, Marianne. Principles of Gender-Specific Medicine. Amsterdam: Academic Press, 2010. Print.
Sieri, Sabina. Dietary Fat Intake and Development of Specific Breast Cancer Subtypes. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst, 106.5 (2014): 1-6. Print.