Associations between dietary fiber, the fecal microbiota and estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women with breast cancer
Open accessAbstract
Breast cancer is a hormonally-driven cancer, and various dietary factors are associated with estrogen metabolism, including dietary fiber. Several studies report associations between dietary fiber and breast cancer; however, research on whether fiber influences circulating estrogens through the gut microbiota is rare. The objective of this cross-sectional study among 29 newly-diagnosed (stage 0-II), post-menopausal breast cancer patients is to examine associations between dietary fiber and the gut microbiota that are linked with β-glucuronidase activity, and purportedly increase circulating estrogens. Spearman’s and partial correlations controlling for body mass index and age were performed using dietary recall data, Illumina MiSeq generated microbiota relative abundance, and HPLC-mass spectrometry-derived estradiol and estrone levels.Major findings are: (1 Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2018. CA Cancer J Clin. 2018;68(1):7–30. doi:10.3322/caac.21442[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) total dietary fiber is inversely associated with Clostridium hathewayi (r= −0.419; p = 0.024); (2 American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2018. Atlanta: American Cancer Society, 2018. [Google Scholar]) soluble fiber is inversely associated with Clostridium (r=-0.11; p = 0.02); (3 Munsell MF, Sprague BL, Berry DA, Chisholm G, Trentham-Dietz A. Body mass index and breast cancer risk according to postmenopausal estrogen-progestin use and hormone receptor status. Epidemiol Rev. 2014;36(1):114–36. doi:10.1093/epirev/mxt010[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) insoluble fiber is positively associated with Bacteroides uniformis sp. (r = 0.382; p = 0.041); and (4 Renehan AG, Tyson M, Egger M, Heller RF, Zwahlen M. Body-mass index and incidence of cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies. Lancet. 2008;371(9612):569–78. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60269-X[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) serum estradiol and estrone levels are not correlated with species/genera or dietary fiber, though there is a trend toward an inverse association between soluble fiber and estradiol levels (r= −0.30; p = 0.12). More studies are needed to understand the complex interaction between dietary fiber, intestinal microbiota, and hormonal levels in older females.
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Beta diversity between healthy women and women with PCOS was not due to the effect of different testosterone levels.
“The study also found that beta diversity between healthy women and women with PCOS was not due to the effect of different testosterone levels (see Tables 3-4).”
From Association Between Sex Hormone Levels and Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity—A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [31]
When combining healthy women and women with PCOM or PCOS, testosterone levels were negatively correlated with diversity (richness and Faith PD indexes).
“When combining healthy women and women with polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM) or PCOS, the study by Torres et al.(31) found a negative correlation between testosterone levels and diversity (richness and Faith PD indexes).”
From Association Between Sex Hormone Levels and Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity—A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [31]
The negative correlation between testosterone and microbiota diversity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome was also observed in a polycystic ovary syndrome mouse model, while the positive association between testosterone and Ruminococcus in healthy men was also observed in neonatally-androgenized rats.
“The negative correlation between testosterone and microbiota diversity in women with PCOS was also observed in a PCOS mouse model while the positive association between testosterone and Ruminococcus in healthy men was also observed in neonatally-androgenized rats.(12, 25, 31)”
From Association Between Sex Hormone Levels and Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity—A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [31]
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The gut microbiome as a modulator of healthy ageing
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- Authors
- Zengul, A. G., Demark-Wahnefried, W., Barnes, S., Morrow, C. D., Bertrand, B., Berryhill, T. F., & Frugé, A. D.
- Affiliations
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (US)
- Department of Nutrition Sciences, UAB, Wallace Tumor Institute (WTI), Birmingham, AL, USA
- Auburn University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Zengul, Ayse G.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nutrition and Cancer
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2020-06-26
- Volume
- 73
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1108-1117
- ISSN
- 0163-5581 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-7914
- PMC
- PMC7875566
- OpenAlex
- W3037177410
- Cited by
- 60
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 1.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Nutrition and Cancer (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- the National Cancer Institute R21 (CA178359)
- P30 (CA013148)
- R25 (CA047888)
- UAB Cancer Research Experiences for Students (CaRES) Program (5R25CA076023)
- UAB Center for Clinical Translational Science (UL1TR00065, UL1TR001417)
- the Heflin Center for Genomic Sciences
- the UAB Health Services Foundation General Endowment Fund
- the Microbiome Resource at the University of Alabama at Birmingham: Comprehensive Cancer Center (P30AR050948)
- Center for Clinical Translational Science (UL1TR001417)
- University Wide Institutional Core
- Heflin Center for Genomic Sciences and Microbiome Center
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Phytoestrogen effects and research
- Keywords
- dietary fiber, breast cancer, postmenopausal women, gut microbiota, fecal microbiota, estrogen metabolism, beta-glucuronidase activity, circulating estrogen, estradiol, estrone, Bacteroides uniformis, soluble dietary fiber, insoluble dietary fiber, hormone-dependent tumors, body mass index, hormone replacement therapy
- MeSH terms
- Bacillota, Clostridiaceae, Aged, Bacteroides, Breast Neoplasms, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dietary Fiber, Estrogens, Female, Humans, Postmenopause, Microbiota
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