Abstract
Objectives: It has been suggested that increased exposure to galactose, due to high consumption of dairy foods or reduced galactose metabolism, is associated with the development of ovarian cancer. We have investigated this in a large case-control study conducted in three Australian states between 1990 and 1993.
Methods: Approximately 800 histologically-confirmed cases, 800 community controls and 300 controls recruited␣ through breast-screening clinics completed dietary questionnaires. Approximately 100 cases and all breast-screening controls also provided a blood sample for analysis of galactose-1-phosphate- uridyltransferase (GALT).
Results: Ovarian cancer risk was positively associated with increasing consumption of whole milk and other full-fat dairy foods, but was not associated with consumption of low-fat dairy foods and was inversely related to consumption of skimmed milk. There was no association between ovarian cancer and GALT except among women with abnormally low GALT who had a non-significant 2.5-fold increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Conclusions: These data do not support the hypothesis that galactose plays a major role in the development of ovarian cancer and suggest that reported associations between milk consumption and ovarian cancer are due to the fat content of milk and not to lactose or galactose. An increased risk of ovarian cancer in women with abnormally low levels of GALT cannot, however, be ruled out.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Xu YK, Ng WG, Kaufman FR, Lobo RA, Donnell GN. Galactose metabolism in human ovarian tissue. Pediatric Res 1989; 25(2): 151–5.
Kaufman FR, Kogut MD, Donnell GN, Goebelsmann U, March C, Koch R. Hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in female patients with galactosaemia. N Engl J Med 1981; 304(17): 994–7.
Kaufman FR, Donnell GN, Roe TF, Kogut MD. Gonadal function in patients with galactosaemia. J Inherit Metab Dis 1986; 9: 140–6.
Waggoner DD, Buist NRM, Donnell GN. Long-term prognosis of galactosaemia: results of a survey of 350 cases. J Inherit Metab Dis 1990; 13: 802–18.
Ng WG, Xu YK, Kaufman FR, Donnell GN. Deficit of uridine diphosphate galactose in galactosaemia. J Inherit Metab Dis 1989; 12: 257–66.
Cramer DW, Harlow BL, Barbieri RL, Ng W. Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase activity associated with age at menopause and reproductive history. Fertil Steril 1989; 51(4): 609–15.
Cramer DW. Lactase persistence and milk consumption as determinants of ovarian cancer risk. Am J Epidemiol 1989; 130(5): 904–10.
Cramer DW, Harlow BL, Willett WC, et al. Galactose consumption and metabolism in relation to the risk of ovarian cancer. Lancet 1989: 66–71.
Cramer DW, Welch WR. Determinants of ovarian cancer risk II: Inferences regarding pathogenesis. J Natl Cancer Inst 1983; 71(4): 717–21.
Rose D, Boyar A, Wynder E. International comparisons of mortality rates for cancer of the breast, ovary, prostate and colon, and per capita food consumption. Cancer 1986; 58: 2363–71.
Risch HA, Jain M, Marrett LD, Howe GR. Dietary lactose intake, lactose intolerance, and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in southern Ontario (Canada). Cancer Causes Control 1994; 5: 540–8.
Herrinton LJ, Weiss NS, Beresford SA, et al. Lactose and galactose intake and metabolism in relation to the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. Am J Epidemiol 1995; 141(5): 407–16.
Shu XO, Gao YT, Yuan JM, Ziegler RG, Brinton LA. Dietary factors and epithelial ovarian cancer. Br J Cancer 1989; 59: 92–6.
La Vecchia C, Decarli A, Negri E, et al. Dietary factors and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1987; 79(4): 663–9.
Risch HA, Jain M, Marrett LD, Howe GR. Dietary fat intake and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1994; 86(18): 1409–15.
Purdie D, Green A, Bain C, et al. Reproductive and other factors and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer: an Australian case-control study. Int J Cancer 1995; 62: 678–84.
Willett W, Sampson L, Stampfer M, et al. Reproducibility and validity of a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Am J Epidemiol 1985; 122: 51–65.
Lewis J, Holt R, English R. Composition of Foods, Australia. Vol. Infant Foods, Dairy Foods, Update. Canberra: AGPS, 1992.
Lewis J, English R. Nuttab 90: Nutrient Data Table for Use in Australia. Canberra: AGPS Press Publications, 1990.
Pesce M, Bodourian S, Harris R, Nicholson J. Enzymatic micromethod for measuring galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase activity in human erythrocytes. Clin Chem 1977; 23: 1711–7.
Harlow BL, Cramer DW, Geller J, Willett WC, Bell DA, Welch WR. The influence of lactose consumption on the association of oral contraceptive use and ovarian cancer risk. Am J Epidemiol 1991; 134(5): 445–61.
English R, Lewis J. Nutritional Content of Australian foods. Canberra: AGPS, 1991.
Mettlin CJ, Piver MS. A case-control study of milk-drinking and ovarian cancer risk. Am J Epidemiol 1990; 132(5): 871–6.
Cramer DW, Welch WR, Hutchison GB, Willett W, Scully RE. Dietary animal fat in relation to ovarian cancer risk. Obstet Gynecol 1984; 63: 833–8.
Kaufman FR, Xu YK, Ng WG, Donnell GN. Correlation of ovarian function with galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase levels in galactosemia. J Pediatrics 1988; 112(2): 754–6.
Kelley RI, Feinberg DM, Segal S. Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase in density-fractionated erythrocytes. Studies of normal and mutant enzymes. Hum Genet 1989; 82: 99–103.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Webb, P.M., Bain, C.J., Purdie, D.M. et al. Milk consumption, galactose metabolism and ovarian cancer (Australia). Cancer Causes Control 9, 637–644 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008891714412
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008891714412