A large case-control study (2,569 women with breast cancer and 2,588 control women) carried out in Italy between 1991 and 1994 permits elucidation of breast cancer risk in relation to dietary patterns in a southern European population. Major findings include direct associations with the intake of bread and cereal dishes, sugar, and pork meat, and inverse associations with the intake of vegetable oils, raw vegetables, fish, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and calcium.