The Role of the Functional Foods on Prevention and Control of the Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world, and in Brazil it is showed as the malignant neoplasm most incident among women, such as the main cause of death by cancer. Many efforts have been recognized to identify the determinanants of breast cancer, such as protector factors, and adequate therapeutic approaches. Literature proposes that dietary factors may account for mammary carcinogenesis therefore progression and control of this disease may be connected with people's diet, consumption of fat, meat, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, fibers, phytoestrogens, and other dietary compounds. The importance of diet on breast cancer is recognized, although chemopreventive food compounds must be more studied. This study aimed to investigate, in the literature, the role of functional foods on prevention and control of this kind of neoplasm. Chemoprevention with functional food emerges as an important strategy to breast cancer prevention and control, suggesting mechanisms of anti-carcinogenic, anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-hormonal, anti-angiogenic spectrum among others, although scientific evidences are controversial and weakly supported by epidemiological studies. The most studied cancer preventive food compounds related to breast cancer are conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), polyunsaturated fat acid n-3, phytochemicals (isoflavones, lignans and other non-nutrients compounds), vitamins and minerals. Researches about it should be stimulated, considering the fact that it is necessary to know more about these food substances.