Soybean Products and Breast Cancer Risk in Japan
Author Information
Author(s): Hirose K, Imaeda N, Tokudome Y, Goto C, Wakai K, Matsuo K, Ito H, Toyama T, Iwata H, Tokudome S, Tajima K
Primary Institution: Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute
Hypothesis
Does high intake of soybean products reduce the risk of breast cancer in Japanese women?
Conclusion
The study found that high consumption of soybean products is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women in Japan.
Supporting Evidence
- High intake of tofu was associated with an odds ratio of 0.49 for breast cancer risk.
- Consumption of isoflavones showed an odds ratio of 0.44 for the highest tertile compared to the lowest.
- No significant association was found for postmenopausal women regarding soybean product intake.
- Breast cancer cases reported lower total isoflavones intake than controls.
Takeaway
Eating a lot of soybean foods like tofu might help lower the chances of getting breast cancer for younger women in Japan.
Methodology
A case-control study using data from the Aichi Cancer Center, comparing 167 breast cancer cases with 854 controls, analyzing dietary intake through questionnaires.
Potential Biases
Possible bias due to the medical background of controls, although the impact was considered limited.
Limitations
The study had a small number of cases and may lack sufficient power to detect significant differences.
Participant Demographics
Women aged 30 and over, including 79 premenopausal and 88 postmenopausal breast cancer cases.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.02
Confidence Interval
0.22–0.89
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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