A new study suggests eating lots of fruits and vegetables may decrease risk of developing fibroadenomas - benign breast tumors that are a risk factor for breast
cancer - in women.
The study published in the May 19, 2010 issue of Journal of Nutrition showed higher intake of fruit and vegetables was associated with reduced risk of fibroadenomas.
Nelson Z.C. and colleagues from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in Hyattsville MD found the association after comparing 327 women with the condition with 1070 controls in Shanghai China for their dietary habits.
Factors found to decrease the risk also included the number of live births, natural menopause, oral contraceptive use and moderate
exercise like walking and gardening.
Factors that increased the risk of fibroadenomas included heavy physical activity in the 20s, breast cancer in a first degree relative, and a history of prior benign breast lumps among other things.
Fibroadenomas are responsible for fifty percent of biopsies.
However, fibroadenomas is a long term risk factor for breast cancer. The risk of this transformation is found increased in women with complex fibroadenomas, proliferative
disease, or a family history of breast cancer, according to William D. Dupont and colleagues from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville who published a report on the issue in the New England Journal of Medicine.
High intake of fruit and vegetables has been found to reduce risk of
breast cancer.
David Liu
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