These studies are from authoritative sources, mostly government websites.  They are by category and we have summarize the 'linked' research document.

They are in no way comprehensive, but indicative of the research out there. 

Note: format of the research is title in bold, a synopsis, then the link to the resource.

Immune System

Glucan and resveratrol complex - possible synergistic effects on immune system.

Beta 1,3 Glucan and resveratrol combined showed synergetic positive effects on the immune system measured against leucopenia (reduction in white blood cells, a major side effect of both chemotherapy and radiation), and even noted in breast cancer cells.  Research suggest value in further studies.

PDF Download  or  download from this website

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Beta glucan induces proliferation and activation of monocytes in peripheral blood of patients with advanced breast cancer.

Glucans can stimulate the immune system by activating monocytes / macrophages. Human studies have shown that beta glucan modulates the immune effect. Oral beta glucan seems to stimulate proliferation and activation of peripheral blood monocytes in vivo (in the body) in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Link

Alkalization

Intake of dairy products, calcium, and vitamin d and risk of breast cancer.  

Consumption of dairy products, especially of low-fat dairy foods and skim/low-fat milk, was inversely associated with risk of breast cancer in pre-menopausal women.  

• High consumption -> lower rate
• Low consumption -> higher rate

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Dairy, calcium, and vitamin D intake and postmenopausal breast cancer risk in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

Results were that dietary calcium and/or some other components in dairy products may modestly reduce risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. They also state this was not from calcium nor vitamin D supplements.

Note:  Inverse relationship means more dairy, less risk of cancer

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Dietary calcium intake and breast cancer risk among Chinese women in Shanghai.  

An interesting study. Calcium primarily derived from poultry was inversely associated with risk for breast cancer (more calcium -> less cancer risk).  Dairy consumption did not affect the risk.  This population is noted for consuming the bones as well as the meat, plus soup stock with bones simmering until soft.

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Calcium absorption from the ingestion of coral-derived calcium by humans.

Relatively small study compared absorption of supplemental calcium carbonate and coral calcium.  Results were that the coral calcium was better absorbed in the intestinal track.

Link

Antioxidants

Dietary antioxidants and human cancer.

Population studies show that a high intake of anti-oxidant-rich foods is inversely related to cancer risk. (more = less). While animal and cell cultures confirm the anticancer effects of antioxidants, human trials have been inconclusive. [Note:  selenium and vitamin E reduced the risk of some forms of cancer, including prostate and colon cancer, and carotenoids have been shown to help reduce breast cancer risk.]

Conventional cancer treatment (radiation & chemotherapy) 'consumes' our existing antioxidants and causes  oxidative stress, which increases with disease progression. Vitamins E and C help reduce adverse side effects associated with free radical damage to normal cells in cancer therapy, and to reduce the recurrence of breast cancer. 

A few, small experimental studies show that antioxidant vitamins and some phytochemicals cause apoptosis (natural cell death) in cancer cells but not in normal cells and prevent cancer spreading. 

The study suggests antioxidants should be evaluated to help during cancer therapy.

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Antioxidants and breast cancer.

A recent prospective study found that consumption of fruits and vegetables high in specific carotenoids and vitamins reduced breast cancer risk among premenopausal women. This might not be due to the anticarcinogenic mechanism of a single nutrient. Further studies relating blood and dietary micronutrients (i.e., vitamins) to breast cancer risk should be done.

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Antioxidant supplements and risk of breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer-related mortality among postmenopausal women.

A study of 385 postmenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1986 and 1988 looked at diet and cancer. They were asked if they used nutritional supplements during the 12-14 years since.

Findings: 

• Antioxidant supplement users  were less likely to have a breast cancer recurrence or breast cancer-related death compared with nonusers
• Vitamin E supplements showed a modest protective effect when used for more than 3 years (taking vitamins C or E from diet, supplements, or both showed no relationship with risk if they were used prior to the 1986 cancer diagnosis)
• Risks of recurrence and disease-related mortality were reduced among women using vitamin C and vitamin E supplements for more than 3 years.

"This study provides limited support for the hypothesis that antioxidant supplements may reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence or breast cancer-related mortality."

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Apparent partial remission of breast cancer in 'high risk' patients supplemented with nutritional antioxidants, essential fatty acids and coenzyme Q10.

We are printing the extract because of the clarity of writing and excellent summation.  Bottom line in a very small 18 month study:  antioxidants + essential fatty acids + CoQ-10 yielded very positive results.

"Thirty-two typical patients with breast cancer, aged 32-81 years and classified 'high risk' because of tumor spread to the lymph nodes in the axilla, were studied for 18 months following an Adjuvant Nutritional Intervention in Cancer protocol (ANICA protocol). The nutritional protocol was added to the surgical and therapeutic treatment of breast cancer, as required by regulations in Denmark. The added treatment was a combination of nutritional antioxidants (Vitamin C: 2850 mg, Vitamin E: 2500 iu, beta-carotene 32.5 iu, selenium 387 micrograms plus secondary vitamins and minerals), essential fatty acids (1.2 g gamma linolenic acid and 3.5 g n-3 fatty acids) and Coenzyme Q10 (90 mg per day). The ANICA protocol is based on the concept of testing the synergistic effect of those categories of nutritional supplements, including vitamin Q10, previously having shown deficiency and/or therapeutic value as single elements in diverse forms of cancer, as cancer may be synergistically related to diverse biochemical dysfunctions and vitamin deficiencies. Biochemical markers, clinical condition, tumor spread, quality of life parameters and survival were followed during the trial. Compliance was excellent. 

The main observations were: 
(1) none of the patients died during the study period. (the expected number was four.) 
(2) none of the patients showed signs of further distant metastases. 
(3) quality of life was improved (no weight loss, reduced use of pain killers). 
(4) six patients showed apparent partial remission."

Link

Nutrition

Nutrition and cancer

Overeating increases  the risk of human cancer. 

• Rapid growth rates -> earlier age at menarche -> increases risk of breast cancer
• Higher intake of vegetables and fruits -> lower risks of many cancers
• Excessive consumption of alcohol increases risks breast cancer

"Evidence is strong that remaining physically active and lean throughout life, consuming an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and avoiding high intakes of red meat, foods high in animal fat, and excessive alcohol will substantially reduce risk of human cancer."

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Diet, nutrition, and cancer.

The Committee on Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer of the National Research Council (1982) evaluated evidence and found:

• A high fat diet increases cancer risk in the breast and colon, and to a lesser extent, the prostate. 
• Fiber may have a protective effect against colon cancer
• frequent consumption of certain fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits and carotene-rich and cruciferous vegetables, is associated with:
• Carotene helps lung cancer 
• Vitamin A deficiency related to tumorigenesis (blood vessel growth to the tumor - bad thing) 
• Cruciferous vegetables block in the body carcinogenesis (normal cells turning into cancer cells). 
• The data for minerals and carcinogenesis are extremely limited, but selenium may protect against overall cancer risk
• Frequent consumption of cured, pickled, or smoked foods, possibly because they may contain nitrosamines or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, appears to increase the risk of esophageal or stomach cancer
• Excessive alcohol consumption among smokers -> elevated risk of cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, larynx, and respiratory tract.

Why dietary factors impact carcinogenesis (normal cells turning into cancer cells) is poorly understood. 

The NRC committee, the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society have proposed dietary guidelines to lower the risk of cancer. 

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Intake of fruits, vegetables and selected micronutrients in relation to the risk of breast cancer.  

Study of approximately 1500 breast cancer cases and 1500 control looked at associations of breast cancer risk with vegetables, fruits and related micronutrient intake. This population study was among Chinese women in Shanghai, where dietary patterns differ substantially from other study populations.

• There was no association between breast cancer risk and total vegetable intake. 
• The risk of breast cancer declined, however, with increasing intake of dark yellow-orange vegetables, Chinese white turnips, and certain dark green vegetables
• Intake of fruits, except watermelons and apples, was inversely associated (more fruit = less risk) with breast cancer risk

Our study suggests that high intake of certain vegetables and fruits may be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Premenopausal breast cancer risk and intake of vegetables, fruits, and related nutrients

This was a study of diet and non-food supplements related to premenopausal breast cancer risk in New York. They evaluated the intake of vegetables and fruits, vitamins C and E, folic acid, individual carotenoids, and dietary fiber with its components. 

RESULTS: 

• There was a reduction in risk associated with high intake of vitamin C, alpha-tocopheral, folic acid, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, lutein + zeaxanthin, and dietary fiber from vegetables and fruits
• No association with risk was found for beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, or grain fiber. 
• Fruits were weakly associated with a reduction in risk 
• No association was found between breast cancer risk and intake of vitamins C and E and folic acid taken as supplements. 
• A strong inverse association between total vegetable intake and risk was observed (more vegetables = less risk) This was independent of vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, folic acid, dietary fiber, and alpha-carotene. (Adjusting for beta-carotene or lutein + zeaxanthin somewhat attenuated the inverse association with vegetable intake.)

 CONCLUSIONS: In this population, intake of vegetables appears to decrease premenopausal breast cancer risk. This effect may be related, in part, to beta-carotene and lutein + zeaxanthin in vegetables. Of the nutrients and food components examined, no single dietary factor explains the effect. 

Evaluated components found together in vegetables may have a synergistic effect on breast cancer risk; alternatively, other unmeasured factors in these foods may also influence risk.

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Intake of fruits, vegetables, and soy foods in relation to breast cancer risk in Korean women: a case-control study

This was study to examine the relationship between fruit, vegetable, and soy food intake and breast cancer risk in Korean women. Findings:

• There was no association between the intake of total fruits, vegetables, or soy food and breast cancer risk. 
• Increasing consumption of grapes was linked to a significant protective effect against risk of breast cancer
• Among the vegetables, reduced risk was observed with high tomato intake
•  Among soy foods, high consumption of cooked soybeans, including yellow and black soybeans, had an association with reduced breast cancer 

Our data suggests that increased intake of some fruits, vegetables, and soy foods may be associated with breast cancer risk reduction in Korean women.

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Food and botanical groupings and risk of breast cancer: a case-control study in Shanghai, China.

A study of diet and risk of breast cancer among women in Shanghai was adjusted for age, total energy intake, and total years of breast-feeding.  Findings:

• Women in the highest quartile of fruit and vegetable intake (> or =3.8 servings per day) were significantly less likely to have breast cancer compared with women in the lowest quartile of intake
• Egg consumption was also significantly inversely associated with risk of breast cancer (6.0 eggs/week less risk versus < 2.0 eggs/week)
• There was no difference in soy consumption 

These results provide additional evidence in support of the important role of fruits and vegetables in breast cancer prevention.

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Carbohydrates and the risk of breast cancer among Mexican women. 

A study among a Mexican population characterized by relatively low fat and high carbohydrate intakes. Findings:

• Carbohydrate intake was positively associated with breast cancer risk (both premenopausal and postmenopausal women). 
• Among carbohydrate components, the strongest associations were observed for sucrose and fructose. 
• No association was observed with total fat intake. 

In this population, a high percentage of calories from carbohydrate, but not from fat, was associated with increased breast cancer risk. This relation deserves more study, particularly in populations highly susceptible to insulin resistance.

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Vitamin supplements and cancer risk: the epidemiologic (population study) evidence.

There is modest evidence for protective effects of nutrients from supplements against several cancers. Future studies of supplement use and cancer appear warranted (but difficult to execute).

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Dietary folate intake and breast cancer risk: results from the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study.

Study between dietary folate intake and breast cancer risk ( 1321 cases and 1382 controls, 25-64 years of age).  Subjects never drank alcohol regularly or used vitamin supplements. 

• Dietary folate intake was inversely associated with breast cancer risk (more folate = less risk) for women who were in the highest 20% of folic intake. 
• The inverse association was stronger after adjusting for total fruit and vegetable and animal food intakes
• A greater inverse association between folate intake and breast cancer risk was observed among women who consumed high levels of folate cofactors (methionine, vitamin B(12), and vitamin B(6))  compared with women whose intake levels of these nutrients were low. 
• Dietary intake of methionine, vitamin B(12), and vitamin B(6) were not independently related to risk of breast cancer after adjusting for confounding factors. 

The study supports the protective role of dietary folate in breast carcinogenesis (normal cells turning into cancer cells) and suggests further that the effect of folate may be modified by dietary intake of methionine, vitamin B(12), and vitamin B(6).

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Folate, vitamin B(6), and vitamin B(12) intake and the risk of breast cancer among Mexican women.

Looked at the risk for breast cancer among Mexican women with relatively low vitamin intakes. Study of 475 women (median age, 53 years; range, 23-87 years) diagnosed with incident breast cancer (and a control of 1391 women) showed:

• Among postmenopausal women, intakes of folate and vitamin B(12) were associated with a lower risk of breast cancer 
• The inverse association of folate and breast cancer was stronger among women who consumed a high level of vitamin B(12) as compared with women consuming diets low in vitamin B(12). 
• No association was observed for vitamin B(6) intake. 

In this group, high intakes of folate and vitamin B(12) showed decreased breast cancer risk, particularly among postmenopausal women.

Link

Lifestyle

Alcohol and Breast Cancer in Women.

Increased alcohol consumption is linked to increased breast cancer incidence. Among women who consume alcohol regularly, reducing alcohol consumption may reduce breast cancer risk.

Link

~ ~ o0o ~ ~

Personal accounts of exercise and quality of life from the perspective of breast cancer survivors.

Study looked at lifestyle considerations including values and beliefs.  Exercise needs to be addressed as part of recovery and quality of life.

Link