Mathilde His, Vivian Viallon, Laure Dossus, Julie A. Schmidt, Ruth C. Travis, Marc J. Gunter, Kim Overvad, Cecilie Kyrø, Anne Tjønneland, Lucie Lécuyer, Joseph A. Rothwell, Gianluca Severi, Theron Johnson, Verena Katzke, Matthias B. Schulze, Giovanna Masala, Sabina Sieri, Salvatore Panico, Rosario Tumino, Alessandra Macciotta, Jolanda M. A. Boer, Evelyn M. Monninkhof, Karina Standahl Olsen, Therese H. Nøst, Torkjel M. Sandanger, Antonio Agudo, Maria-Jose Sánchez, Pilar Amiano, Sandra M. Colorado-Yohar, Eva Ardanaz, Linda Vidman, Anna Winkvist, Alicia K. Heath, Elisabete Weiderpass, Inge Huybrechts, Sabina Rinaldi, International Agency for Cancer Research (IACR), University of Oxford, Aarhus University [Aarhus], Danish Cancer Society Research Center [Copenhagen, Denmark] (DCSRC), University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (UCPH), Centre de recherche en épidémiologie et santé des populations (CESP), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) (AP-HP)-Hôpital Paul Brousse-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université Paris-Saclay, Università degli Studi di Firenze = University of Florence (UniFI), Molecular Genetics of Breast Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Cancer Research Center - Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum [Heidelberg] (DKFZ), German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke [Nuthetal, Germany] (GIHNP-R), University of Potsdam = Universität Potsdam, Istituto per lo Studio, la Prevenzione e la rete Oncologica [Florence, Italy] (ISPRO), IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori [Milano], University of Naples Federico II = Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, Provincial Health Authority (ASP 7) [Ragusa, Italy], Università degli studi di Torino = University of Turin (UNITO), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment [Bilthoven] (RIVM), University Medical Center [Utrecht], The Arctic University of Norway [Tromsø, Norway] (UiT), Catalan Institute of Oncology [Barcelone, Espagne], L’Hospitalet de Llobregat [Barcelona, Spain], Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública [Granada, Spain] (EASP), Universidad de Granada = University of Granada (UGR), CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, Basque Government, CIBER en Salud Pública, CIBERSP, Biodonostia Health Research Institute [Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain] (IIS Biodonostia), Murcia Regional Health Council [Murcia], Universidad de Antioquia = University of Antioquia [Medellín, Colombia], Navarra Public Health Institute, Umeå University, Imperial College London, Kræftens Bekæmpelse, DCS, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ, Centre International de Recherche sur le Cancer, CIRC, National Research Council, NRC, University of Maryland School of Public Health, SPH, Cancer Research UK, CRUK, World Cancer Research Fund, WCRF, University of Cambridge, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Inserm, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF, Cancerfonden, Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport, VWS, Fondation ARC pour la Recherche sur le Cancer, ARC, Ligue Contre le Cancer, Vetenskapsrådet, VR, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, ISCIII, Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro, AIRC, Deutsche Krebshilfe, Institut National Du Cancer, INCa: 2015-166, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Mutuelle Générale de l'Education Nationale, MGEN, NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, BRC, The national cohorts are supported by Danish Cancer Society (Denmark), Ligue Contre le Cancer, Institut Gustave Roussy, Mutuelle Générale de l’Education Nationale, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) (France), German Cancer Aid, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (Germany), Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro-AIRC-Italy, Compagnia di SanPaolo and National Research Council (Italy), Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS), LK Research Funds, Dutch Prevention Funds, Dutch ZON (Zorg Onderzoek Nederland), World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) (The Netherlands), Health Research Fund (FIS) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Regional Governments of Andalucía, Asturias, Basque Country, Murcia and Navarra, and the Catalan Institute of Oncology - ICO (Spain), Swedish Cancer Society, Swedish Research Council and County Councils of Skåne and Västerbotten (Sweden), and Cancer Research UK (14136 to EPIC-Norfolk (DOI 10.22025/2019.10.105.00004), C8221/A29017 to EPIC-Oxford), Medical Research Council (1000143, MR/N003284/1, MC-UU_12015/1 and MC_UU_00006/1 to EPIC-Norfolk, MR/M012190/1 to EPIC-Oxford) (UK). The funders were not involved in designing the study, collecting, analyzing, or interpreting the data, or writing or submitting the manuscript for publication., The coordination of EPIC is financially supported by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and also by the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, which has additional infrastructure support provided by the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)., This work was funded by the French National Cancer Institute (grant number 2015-166). Mathilde His’ work reported here was undertaken during the tenure of a postdoctoral fellowship awarded by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, financed by the Fondation ARC., The authors would like to thank Mr Bertrand Hemon for his support in preparing the databases, Ms Audrey Gicquiau and Dr David Achaintre for the analyses of samples in several of the original studies, and all EPIC participants. The EPIC-Norfolk team thank all the participants who have been part of the project and the many members of the study teams at the University of Cambridge who have enabled this research. Where authors are identified as personnel of the International Agency for Research on Cancer/World Health Organization, the authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this article and they do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy, or views of the International Agency for Research on Cancer/World Health Organization., and HAL UVSQ, Équipe
This work was funded by the French National Cancer Institute (grant number 2015-166). Mathilde His' work reported here was undertaken during the tenure of a postdoctoral fellowship awarded by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, financed by the Fondation ARC. The coordination of EPIC is financially supported by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and also by the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, which has additional infrastructure support provided by the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The national cohorts are supported by Danish Cancer Society (Denmark); Ligue Contre le Cancer, Institut Gustave Roussy, Mutuelle Generale de l'Education Nationale, Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) (France); German Cancer Aid, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (Germany); Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro-AIRC-Italy, Compagnia di SanPaolo and National Research Council (Italy); Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS), LK Research Funds, Dutch Prevention Funds, Dutch ZON (Zorg Onderzoek Nederland), World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) (The Netherlands); Health Research Fund (FIS) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Regional Governments of Andalucia, Asturias, Basque Country, Murcia and Navarra, and the Catalan Institute of Oncology-ICO (Spain); Swedish Cancer Society, Swedish Research Council and County Councils of Skane and Vasterbotten (Sweden); and Cancer Research UK (14136 to EPIC-Norfolk (DOI 10.22025/2019.10.105.00004); C8221/A29017 to EPIC-Oxford), Medical Research Council (1000143, MR/N003284/1, MC-UU_12015/1 and MC_UU_00006/1 to EPIC-Norfolk; MR/M012190/1 to EPIC-Oxford) (UK). The funders were not involved in designing the study; collecting, analyzing, or interpreting the data; or writing or submitting the manuscript for publication., Background: Metabolomics is a promising molecular tool for identifying novel etiological pathways leading to cancer. In an earlier prospective study among pre- and postmenopausal women not using exogenous hormones, we observed a higher risk of breast cancer associated with higher blood concentrations of one metabolite (acetylcarnitine) and a lower risk associated with higher blood concentrations of seven others (arginine, asparagine, phosphatidylcholines (PCs) aa C36:3, ae C34:2, ae C36:2, ae C36:3, and ae C38:2). Methods: To identify determinants of these breast cancer-related metabolites, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis to identify their lifestyle and anthropometric correlates in 2358 women, who were previously included as controls in case-control studies nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort and not using exogenous hormones at blood collection. Associations of each metabolite concentration with 42 variables were assessed using linear regression models in a discovery set of 1572 participants. Significant associations were evaluated in a validation set (n = 786). Results: For the metabolites previously associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, concentrations of PCs ae C34: 2, C36:2, C36:3, and C38:2 were negatively associated with adiposity and positively associated with total and saturated fat intakes. PC ae C36:2 was also negatively associated with alcohol consumption and positively associated with two scores reflecting adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Asparagine concentration was negatively associated with adiposity. Arginine and PC aa C36:3 concentrations were not associated to any of the factors examined. For the metabolite previously associated with a higher risk of breast cancer, acetylcarnitine, a positive association with age was observed. Conclusions: These associations may indicate possible mechanisms underlying associations between lifestyle and anthropometric factors, and risk of breast cancer. Further research is needed to identify potential non-lifestyle correlates of the metabolites investigated., Institut National du Cancer (INCA) France 2015-166, International Agency for Research on Cancer - Fondation ARC, World Health Organization, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Danish Cancer Society, Ligue Contre le Cancer (France), Institut Gustave Roussy (France), Mutuelle Generale de l'Education Nationale (France), Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (Inserm), Deutsche Krebshilfe, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) (Germany), German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE) (Germany), Federal Ministry of Education & Research (BMBF), Fondazione AIRC per la ricerca sul cancro, Compagnia di San Paolo, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Netherlands Government, World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF), Health Research Fund (FIS) - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (Spain), Junta de Andalucia, Regional Government of Asturias (Spain), Regional Government of Basque Country (Spain), Regional Government of Murcia (Spain), Regional Government of Navarra (Spain), Catalan Institute of Oncology-ICO (Spain), Swedish Cancer Society, Swedish Research Council, County Council of Skane (Sweden), County Council of Vasterbotten (Sweden), Cancer Research UK 14136 C8221/A29017, UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), Medical Research Council UK (MRC) 1000143 MR/N003284/1 MC-UU_12015/1 MC_UU_00006/1 MR/M012190/1