Serum enterolactone concentration is not associated with breast cancer risk in a nested case‐control study

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Abstract
The lignan enterolactone produced by the intestinal microflora from dietary precursors has been hypothesized to protect against hormone‐dependent cancers. We conducted a nested case‐control study to examine the relationship between serum enterolactone concentration and risk of breast cancer. Enterolactone concentrations were measured by time‐resolved fluoroimmunoassay in serum collected at 4 independent cross‐sectional population surveys from 206 women with breast cancer diagnosed during follow‐up (mean 8.0 years) and from 215 controls frequency‐matched to cases by study cohort, 5‐year age group and study area. Mean serum enterolactone concentration (nmol/l) did not significantly differ between case and control subjects [25.2 (SD 22.2) vs. 24.0 (SD 21.3), respectively]. Odds ratios for breast cancer risk estimated by conditional logistic regression for increasing concentration of enterolactone in quartiles were 1.00 (referent), 1.67 (95% CI 0.95–2.95), 1.71 (95% CI 0.96–3.06) and 1.30 (95% CI 0.73–2.31), and p for trend was 0.48. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that high serum enterolactone concentration is associated with reduced risk of breast cancer.

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