Abstract C043: Meat and fish intake and the risk of breast cancer in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS)

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Cooking meat at high temperatures and charring of meat increases the production of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are implicated in breast carcinogenesis. Several epidemiologic studies have reported increased risk of breast cancer with higher intake of HCAs or red meat intake. However, few studies have examined these associations in racially diverse populations. The goal of the study was to examine the associations between various meat and fish preparation methods and breast cancer using the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS) Phase 2. Methods: African American (AA) and European American (EA) women aged 20-74 years with a first diagnosis of invasive or in situ breast cancers were enrolled. Controls were identified through the DMV and Medicare lists and were frequency matched to cases by race and age group (AA: 548 cases and 452 controls; EA: 858 cases and 748 controls). Preparation methods and intake frequencies were obtained through self-report questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% CIs of breast cancer by frequency of intake of meat and fish cooked by various preparation methods. Results: Using no reported meat intake as the referent, positive associations with breast cancer were observed for intakes of grilled/barbecued hamburger (one or more times per week, OR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.66), and for pan-fried/oven-broiled beef steak (one or more times per week, OR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.74). Inverse associations with breast cancer were observed for pan-fried fish (one or more times per week, OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.99) and for grilled/barbecued pork chops (OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.69, 0.98). Overall, the associations appeared to be stronger among EA women but showed inconsistency within meat categories (fish, pork, beef) depending upon method of cooking. Conclusion: Among AA and EA women, more frequently consuming beef prepared with high-temperature methods (such as grilling or oven-broiling) was associated with higher odds of breast cancer, and the associations were stronger among EA women compared to AA women. In contrast, consuming pan-fried fish or grilled/barbecued pork chops weekly was associated with lower odds of breast cancer compared to less frequent consumption. Citation Format: Omonefe Omofuma, Susan Steck, Melissa Troester, Andrew Olshan. Meat and fish intake and the risk of breast cancer in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr C043.