latest on folate and other B vitamins and breast cancer risk

[Lani]

There has been the thought that folate fortification of breads, etc may not be as benign as previously assumed

Here is the latest--both somewhat reassuring as well as somewhat worrying--depending on how you view it

Of course this is not looking at her2+ breast cancer specifically, which is a different bird!

ABSTRACT: Folate and other one-carbon metabolism-related nutrients and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort
[American Journal of Clinical Nutrition]

Background: Epidemiologic studies of the association of folate intake with breast cancer risk have been inconclusive, and few have investigated how related nutrients modify this association.

Objective: We investigated the association of dietary (food folate plus folic acid from fortification) and total folate (food folate, folic acid from fortification, and folic acid from supplements), vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, methionine, and alcohol intakes with postmenopausal breast cancer among women in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. The modification of the folate associations by the other nutrients was also investigated.

Design: This prospective cohort study included 70,656 postmenopausal women for whom dietary information was collected in 1992. Of these, 3898 developed breast cancer between enrollment in 1992 and June 2005. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to calculate multivariate-adjusted hazard rate ratios and 95% CIs.

Results: Compared with the lowest quintile, the highest quintile of dietary folate intake was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer (rate ratio: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.24). However, the test for trend was not significant (P for trend = 0.15). No association was found for total folate, vitamin B-6, or vitamin B-12, but methionine was inversely associated with breast cancer risk (P for trend = 0.04). The association of dietary folate with breast cancer was not modified by other nutrients or alcohol.

Conclusions: This study suggests that dietary folate intake may be positively associated with postmenopausal breast cancer. However, no dose-response relation was observed. The extent to which increased supplement use and folate fortification contributes to breast cancer risk warrants further research.

[sarah]

Another interesting report. I used to take folic acid because I drink wine but have stopped taking it so often because of confusion over it but the magnesium I take comes with B6 which I've always understood to be helpful, should I stop?
thanks
sarah

[weety]

This brings up a question I had about my folate levels. I had them tested and >5 is normal. Mine were reported as >20. What does a high level of folate mean?

[karen z]

Lani,
A belated thanks on this post.
kz

[tricia keegan]

Thanks Lani,

I enjoy a few glasses of wine at the weekends but I'm confused as to whether to continue with the folic acid or not, can anyone advise???