The Risk of Breast Cancer between Western and Mediterranean Dietary Patterns

Abstract

Breast cancer is a significant public health problem globally and prevention strategies have become of great interest as its incidence rises. Exploring the connection between dietary patterns and the reduction of breast cancer risk is considered a promising approach. High levels of fiber, phytochemicals, a good antioxidant profile, and a composition of advantageous fatty acids are characteristics of healthy dietary programs such as the Mediterranean diet. This review summarized and discussed the active compounds that are considered important in preventing breast cancer, including dietary components from recent related reports. These include polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, phytochemicals, and alcohol. Although the exact mechanism for preventing breast cancer using these dietary factors is not well understood, the combination of all the elements in a healthy diet plays a role in reducing breast cancer risk. Considering the elevated probability of breast cancer relapse and mortality, it is crucial to investigate the correlation between a nutritious dietary pattern and breast cancer, while identifying bioactive components that have the potential to mitigate the risk of breast cancer incidence.

Sexual quality of life and body image of breast cancer patients: uncovering the meaning behind the symptoms

“…Gender is considered as the most significant nonmodifiable risk factor due to sensitivity of breast cells to disruptions in the levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Contrary to intuitive beliefs, BC is hereditary in only 5-10% of cases, and it is mostly attributed to BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 gene mutation (8) . While patients with BC are often above the age of 50 (9) , the role of race and ethnicity is still very ambiguous.…”

“…Follow-up studies of BC survivors have proven the importance of regular exercise, and weight control, or even reduced cigarette and alcohol consumption (14,15) . Even dietary patterns can partially explain observed differences, as a healthy diet, such as soybean consumption and vitamin D intake, tend to lower the risk of premenopausal breast cancer (8) .…”

Dietary Patterns Associated with Breast Cancer in the Middle East: A Scoping Review

“…Similar outcomes were observed when the results were classified based on menopausal status [ 52 ]. Furthermore, global studies have found similar conclusions to western diet with 14% increased BC risk [ 47 , 53 ] could be due to consumption of high amounts of red and processed meat daily ( Figure 2 ) [ 48 ].…”

The association between acute myocardial infarction and subsequent diagnosis of breast cancer: a nationwide, population-based cohort study

“…The current analysis was based on large administrative datasets and has several limitations. First, we could not obtain detailed medical and personal data such as dietary habits 44 , smoking habits 45 or body weight 46 which are known risk factors for breast cancer and could potentially influence the association between MI and cancer. Additionally, factors like the severity of MI (e.g., Killip classification, revascularization strategies, ejection fraction data) and breast cancer staging could not be estimated in our analysis.…”