Pharmacy Daily | Cancer and dairy

PATIENTS who consume high-fat dairy products following breast cancer diagnosis increase their mortality risk, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. During the study researchers looked at a cohort of women who were diagnosed with early-stage, invasive breast cancer between 1997 and 2000. At the beginning of the study, 1,893 women completed a selfadministered food-frequency questionnaire, and 1,513 of these women completed a follow-up questionnaire six years later. They were followed for 12 years on average following study entry. The category of high-fat dairy products researchers tracked included cream, whole milk, condensed milk, pudding, ice cream, custard, cheeses and yogurts. According to the findings those consuming larger amounts of highfat dairy (one serving or more per day) had a higher breast cancer mortality as well as higher all-cause mortality and higher non-breast cancer mortality. Interestingly the study found an association between high-fat dairy and breast cancer mortality, but no association with low-fat dairy products and breast cancer outcomes. “Specifically, women consuming one or more servings per day of high-fat dairy had a 64% higher risk of dying from any cause and a 49% increased risk of dying from their breast cancer during the follow-up period,” said lead author Candyce Kroenke, staff scientist, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.

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