Grandmother's diet may up breast cancer risk in future generations

NEW YORK Can what grandma consumed during pregnancy up her granddaughter's risk of breast cancer? According to a new study, it's possible.

According to researchers at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, which tested this theory on a population of rats, found that an elder female that consumed a high fat-concentration diet may fall onto future generations, and that the quantity of food does not necessarily factor in (average meal consumption was noted). The study's lead investigator, Sonia de Assis, a postdoctoral fellow at Lombardi, said fatty foods may cause an increase in terminal end buds in the breast tissue-- structures where breast cancer can develop, she said.

"The implications from this study are that pregnant mothers need to eat a well balanced diet because they may be affecting the future health of their daughters and granddaughters," said de Assis.

The results were presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010.