Breast cancer affects one in eight women in the United States, according to the website BreastCancer.org. It is also one of the deadliest cancers for women. You may be able to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer by making changes to your diet. Certain substances in food, lutein and zeaxanthin, may protect your breast tissue against invading cancer cells.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the tissue of the breast, most often in the ducts and glands that carry and make milk. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but is much more common in women. The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown. While there is a genetic component, only about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancer cases are caused by a gene mutation, according to MayoClinic.com. Treatment of breast cancer includes surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are natural pigments found in plants. They are a type of nonprovitamin A carotenoid. While they fall into the vitamin family of nutrients, your body cannot convert them into retinol, the form of vitamin A used by the body. In the body, these carotenoids act as antioxidants, protecting your cells against free radical damage. Both lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids found in the eye, and high levels may reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. In addition, both lutein and zeaxanthin have anti-cancer and anti-mutagenic properties that may protect you against cancer.
Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Breast Cancer
Consuming foods high lutein and zeaxanthin may help reduce your risk of breast cancer. A 1999 prospective epidemiological study from Harvard School of Public Health, published in the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute," found an inverse relationship between lutein and zeaxanthin intake and breast cancer in a group of more than 83,000 women. A 2003 study published in "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention" also found a reduced risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women with higher intakes of vitamin A and carotenoids. While these studies show promising results regarding the intake of lutein and zeaxanthin and breast cancer risk, clinical studies need to be conducted before formal recommendations can be made.
Food Sources
While evidence for the benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin on breast cancer is still preliminary, including foods rich in these nutrients in your diet certainly cannot cause any harm. Green leafy vegetables, including kale, spinach, turnip greens, collards and mustard greens, are good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin. Corn, pumpkin, onions and eggs are also good sources of these nutrients.
References
- Pennington Medical Research Center; Lutein; Heli Roy, et al.; 2005
- BreastCancer.org; U.S. Breast Cancer Statistics; April 2011
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Their Potential Roles in Disease Prevention; Judy D. Ribaya-Mercado, et al.; December 2004
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Lutein; February 2010
- "Journal of the National Cancer Institute"; Dietary Carotenoids and Vitamins A, C, and E and Risk of Breast Cancer; Shumin Zhang, et al.; 1999
- "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention"; Premenopausal Intakes of Vitamins A, C, and E, Folate, and Carotenoids, and Risk of Breast Cancer; E. Cho, et al.; August 2003
