Fatty acids and breast cancer--is there a relationship?

In 1997 the current database for the relation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diet to breast cancer was extensively reviewed by expert committees of the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund. They concluded: "Diets high in polyunsaturated or vegetable fats possibly have no relationship with the risk of breast cancer, independent of any contribution to total fat intake". On the other hand they stated that "Diets high in saturated fat possibly increase the risk of breast cancer" and "Diets high in monounsaturated fat per se possibly have no relationship with the risk of breast cancer, independent of that of total fat." The data in literature clearly confirm these interpretations. No new data exist which have changed the knowledge on the association between intake of fatty acids and breast cancer.