Purpose: Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue is an indicator of the long-term ingestion pattern of several specific fatty acids. There is good correlation of antecedent diet with the essential fatty acids, and there is reflection of the diet with the fatty acids that can be synthesized. The relationship between the fatty acid levels and lymph node status and clinical outcome was examined.
Methods: At the time of diagnostic surgery, 161 women with clinical stage T1NO breast cancer had subcutaneous adipose tissue (breast and abdominal) aspirated. The concentrations of 35 fatty acids, seven summed classes, and six fatty acid groups were measured by capillary gas chromatography. Lymph node status was determined with axillary dissection, and patients were followed-up (mean, 7.3 years) for clinical outcome.
Results: There was no significant association of any adipose tissue fatty acids with overall survival, although few (16 of 161 women) died of breast cancer. However, the odds of having positive lymph nodes (57 of 161 women) were significantly higher for women with a greater adipose tissue proportion of oleic acid (odds ratio [OR], 7.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.78 to 32.1) or total saturated acids (OR, 8.43; 95% CI, 1.48 to 40.0) and significantly lower with a higher proportion of trans fatty acids (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.77), as assessed by multivariate logistic regression.
Conclusion: These data support previous research with dietary questionnaire methodology, suggesting that specific dietary fatty acids may be associated with breast cancer promotion. Further research with long-term clinical follow-up is necessary to investigate these observations in large, diverse populations before dietary recommendations can be envisioned.