Obesity and diabetes have been associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. To determine whether sugar and carbohydrate intake affect this risk, Dominique Michaud, Sc.D., of the National Cancer Institute, Charles S. Fuchs, M.D., of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and their colleagues tracked the eating habits and incidence of pancreatic cancer among 88,802 women in the Nurses' Health Study.

After 18 years of follow-up, the researchers found no association between carbohydrate and sucrose intake and the overall risk of pancreatic cancer. However, among women who were overweight or more sedentary, diets high in fructose and glycemic load (a quantitative measure of a diet's effect on blood glucose levels) were associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

The authors conclude that a diet high in glycemic load may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer in women who already have an underlying degree of insulin resistance.

Contact: Bill Schaller, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 617-632-5357, william_schaller@dfci.harvard.edu

Study Finds No Association Between Intake of Dairy Products and Breast Cancer Risk
Among postmenopausal women, consumption of dairy products is not associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, according to a study in the September 4 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. However, among premenopausal women, consumption of low-fat dairy products may be associated with a modest reduct
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Contact: Linda Wang
jncimedia@oupjournals.org
301-841-1287
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
3-Sep-2002