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Serum zinc and dietary intake of zinc in relation to risk of different breast cancer subgroups and serum levels as a marker of intake: a prospective nested case-control study

Bengtsson, Ylva LU orcid ; Sandsveden, Malte LU ; Borgquist, Signe LU and Manjer, Jonas LU (2021) In Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 189. p.571-583
Abstract
Purpose
Zinc has been suggested to be protective against breast cancer, but the evidence remains inconclusive. One reason for inconsistent findings in previous studies may be that zinc only influences the risk of developing certain subtypes of breast cancer. Our study is the first study assessing zinc levels in relation to the risk of different breast cancer subgroups, defined by their tumor characteristics. In addition, we analyze serum zinc as a marker of dietary intake.

Methods
The Malmö Diet and Cancer Study is a population-based cohort study that took place 1991–1996 in Malmö, Sweden. Until end of follow-up, 31 December 2013, 1186 incident cases were identified and matched to an equal number of controls. Odds ratios... (More)
Purpose
Zinc has been suggested to be protective against breast cancer, but the evidence remains inconclusive. One reason for inconsistent findings in previous studies may be that zinc only influences the risk of developing certain subtypes of breast cancer. Our study is the first study assessing zinc levels in relation to the risk of different breast cancer subgroups, defined by their tumor characteristics. In addition, we analyze serum zinc as a marker of dietary intake.

Methods
The Malmö Diet and Cancer Study is a population-based cohort study that took place 1991–1996 in Malmö, Sweden. Until end of follow-up, 31 December 2013, 1186 incident cases were identified and matched to an equal number of controls. Odds ratios (ORs) for breast cancer, and having a certain tumor characteristic, were estimated in quartiles of baseline serum zinc and zinc intake and adjusted for potential confounders.

Results
No associations were found between zinc, measured in serum or diet pre-diagnostically, and breast cancer risk. The adjusted OR for breast cancer in serum zinc Q4 compared to Q1 was 1.09 (0.85–1.41) and in zinc intake Q4 versus Q1 was 0.97 (0.77–1.23). Moreover, there were no clear associations between zinc and any breast cancer characteristics. The kappa value, 0.025 (P = 0.022), showed poor agreement between serum zinc and zinc intake.

Conclusion
Our findings indicate that there is no clear association between zinc and overall breast cancer risk or risk of different breast cancer subgroups. Finally, our results suggest that serum zinc is a poor marker of zinc intake. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
volume
189
pages
571 - 583
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85109346849
  • pmid:34224055
ISSN
0167-6806
DOI
10.1007/s10549-021-06318-0
project
Trace Elements and Breast Cancer: Selenium, Zinc and Copper in Relation to Risk and Prognosis
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8dca68cf-fed5-4c28-9395-156492766277
date added to LUP
2021-07-05 20:23:29
date last changed
2023-09-12 21:44:00
@article{8dca68cf-fed5-4c28-9395-156492766277,
  abstract     = {{Purpose<br/>Zinc has been suggested to be protective against breast cancer, but the evidence remains inconclusive. One reason for inconsistent findings in previous studies may be that zinc only influences the risk of developing certain subtypes of breast cancer. Our study is the first study assessing zinc levels in relation to the risk of different breast cancer subgroups, defined by their tumor characteristics. In addition, we analyze serum zinc as a marker of dietary intake.<br/><br/>Methods<br/>The Malmö Diet and Cancer Study is a population-based cohort study that took place 1991–1996 in Malmö, Sweden. Until end of follow-up, 31 December 2013, 1186 incident cases were identified and matched to an equal number of controls. Odds ratios (ORs) for breast cancer, and having a certain tumor characteristic, were estimated in quartiles of baseline serum zinc and zinc intake and adjusted for potential confounders.<br/><br/>Results<br/>No associations were found between zinc, measured in serum or diet pre-diagnostically, and breast cancer risk. The adjusted OR for breast cancer in serum zinc Q4 compared to Q1 was 1.09 (0.85–1.41) and in zinc intake Q4 versus Q1 was 0.97 (0.77–1.23). Moreover, there were no clear associations between zinc and any breast cancer characteristics. The kappa value, 0.025 (P = 0.022), showed poor agreement between serum zinc and zinc intake.<br/><br/>Conclusion<br/>Our findings indicate that there is no clear association between zinc and overall breast cancer risk or risk of different breast cancer subgroups. Finally, our results suggest that serum zinc is a poor marker of zinc intake.}},
  author       = {{Bengtsson, Ylva and Sandsveden, Malte and Borgquist, Signe and Manjer, Jonas}},
  issn         = {{0167-6806}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  pages        = {{571--583}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Breast Cancer Research and Treatment}},
  title        = {{Serum zinc and dietary intake of zinc in relation to risk of different breast cancer subgroups and serum levels as a marker of intake: a prospective nested case-control study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10549-021-06318-0}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10549-021-06318-0}},
  volume       = {{189}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}