Folate intake and the risk of breast cancer: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Previous observational studies regarding the existence of an association between folate intake and the risk of breast cancer have been inconsistent. This study aimed to summarize the evidence regarding this relationship using a dose-response meta-analytic approach.

Methodology and principal findings

We performed electronic searches of the PubMed, EmBase, and Cochrane Library databases to identify studies published through June 2013. Only prospective observational studies that reported breast cancer effect estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for more than 2 folate intake categories were included. We excluded traditional case-control studies because of possible bias from various confounding factors. Overall, we included 14 prospective studies that reported

SUBMITTER: Zhang YF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4059748 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature