Day 034 - 11 Oct 94 - Page 27
1
2 Q. Hypothesis as to the contribution of high fat diets to
3 that?
4 A. That is correct, my Lord.
5
6 Q. That is what you get out of this, is it?
7 A. Yes. From his introductory comments the study itself,
8 as briefly described in the abstract, provides further
9 confirmatory evidence that is, indeed, consistent with
10 that hypothesis and supportive of it.
11
12 MR. MORRIS: So you are saying that he was saying in the
13 discussion that the links between fat and the oestrogen
14 production has been hypothesized to occur in many ways,
15 but his actual research, he says, is evidence that this is
16 true?
17 A. Yes, he conducted - yes; in the introductory
18 paragraphs he describes what was known prior to beginning
19 his study; that it was already known that a higher level
20 of oestrogen and persistent oestrogen stimulation was a
21 risk factor for breast cancer. He notes that others have
22 shared his hypothesis, that a high fat diet may play a
23 number of different roles here and he describes what they
24 are. However, it is important, it is very important, to
25 emphasise that this paper did not simply generate this
26 hypothesis.
27
28 MR. MORRIS: I think we can move on if there are no
29 further ----
30 A. Sorry, let me finish this one thought, if I may.
31 I would like to emphasise that, although I read the
32 introductory section last and read the hypothesis (that is
33 where the study began), that is prior to him running the
34 study, he did a study to confirm that, indeed, there was
35 -- that this hypothesis would actually test out to be
36 true in this population.
37
38 So, with women with advanced cancer, he did not simply
39 look to see whether increased oestrogen would increase
40 their likelihood of dying. What he found was, yes, in
41 fact the high fat diet was borne out and supported his
42 hypothesis, suggesting that the high fat diet which
43 elevates oestrogen levels in turn is responsible for not
44 only an increase risk of breast cancer, which has already
45 been accepted, but an increase likelihood of dying later;
46 and that this was already known and reported by the
47 mid-1980s; a hypothesis which, by the way, gets continuing
48 support. I have no further comments on that.
49
50 Q. If we move back to No. 24 which I now have copies of for
51 the judge. Do you have one?
52
53 THE WITNESS: Yes, I do. Toniolo's study?
54
55 MR. MORRIS: Yes. Has everyone got No. 24?
56 A. I will be very brief on this one as well, if I may.
57
58 Q. OK.
59 A. Just again two points.
60
