Diet and risk of ovarian cancer
This study addresses several emerging or unresolved hypotheses related to the impact of diet on ovarian cancer risk. Our specific aims are to evaluate the relationship between ovarian cancer risk and (a) phytoestrogens, (b) other nutrients and foods, (c) alcohol intake at various ages, and (d) dietary patterns. The California Teachers Study is a prospective study of 133,479 women who participate in the State Teachers Retirement System and who were active or retired California public school teachers or administrators at the time the cohort was established in 1995. Our analyses include the more than 97,000 women who were California residents at baseline and completed the dietary questionnaire; 311 of these women developed epithelial ovarian cancer by December 31, 2004. Dietary intake during the year prior to entering the cohort was assessed via a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The FFQ included an assessment of 100 food and beverage items as well as questions regarding alcohol use, overall intake of fruits and vegetables, and use of low-fat or non-fat versions of foods. Cancer outcomes in the cohort are identified through annual linkage with the California Cancer Registry. We use Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the relative risk (i.e. hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals) of ovarian cancer associated with specific foods, food groups, micronutrients, non-nutritive compounds, alcohol, and dietary patterns of interest. A priori definitions and principal components analysis are used to classify women based on their "types of diet" (i.e., dietary patterns). The results of the proposed analyses will provide further understanding of the etiology and possible prevention of ovarian cancer.
NCCC Principal Investigator: Ellen Chang, Sc.D.
Co-investigators: Pamela Horn-Ross, Ph.D.
Funding: National Cancer Institute
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