Epidemiology of endocrine-related risk factors for breast cancer
- PMID: 12160084
- DOI: 10.1023/a:1015714305420
Epidemiology of endocrine-related risk factors for breast cancer
Abstract
Ovarian and other hormones are major determinants of breast cancer risk. Particularly important is the accumulative exposure of the breast to circulating levels of the ovarian hormones estradiol and progesterone. A number of breast cancer risk factors can be understood in light of how they affect women's hormone profiles. Age is a marker for the onset and cessation of ovarian activity. Racial differences in hormone profiles correlate with breast cancer incidence patterns. Age at menarche not only serves as the chronological indicator of the onset of ovarian activity, but as a predictor of ovulatory frequency during adolescence and hormone levels in young adults, and has a long-lasting influence on risk. Age at menopause, another established breast cancer risk factor, marks the cessation of ovarian activity. Pregnancy history and lactation experience also are hormonal markers of breast cancer risk. Postmenopausal obesity, which is associated with higher levels of estrogen following cessation of ovarian activity, increases breast cancer risk, whereas physical activity, which can limit menstrual function, reduces risk. A relatively recent area of investigation is prenatal exposures like preeclampsia and low birth weight; both may be associated with lower in utero exposure to estrogen and also may predict lower breast cancer risk as an adult. Improved understanding of these exposures and their potential interactions with breast cancer susceptibility genes may, in the future, improve our prospects for breast cancer prevention.
Similar articles
-
The etiology of breast cancer--from epidemiology to prevention.Public Health Rev. 1995;23(2):157-213. Public Health Rev. 1995. PMID: 8539438 Review.
-
Estrogens, progestogens, normal breast cell proliferation, and breast cancer risk.Epidemiol Rev. 1993;15(1):17-35. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.epirev.a036102. Epidemiol Rev. 1993. PMID: 8405201 Review.
-
Epidemiology of breast cancer.Clin Obstet Gynecol. 1982 Jun;25(2):387-92. doi: 10.1097/00003081-198206000-00021. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 1982. PMID: 7105514
-
Endogenous and exogenous endocrine factors.Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 1989 Dec;3(4):577-98. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 1989. PMID: 2691490 Review.
-
The prevention of breast cancer through reduced ovarian steroid exposure.Acta Oncol. 1992;31(2):167-74. doi: 10.3109/02841869209088898. Acta Oncol. 1992. PMID: 1622631 Review.
Cited by
-
Molecular authentication, metabolite profiling and in silico-in vitro cytotoxicity screening of endophytic Penicillium ramusculum from Withania somnifera for breast cancer therapeutics.3 Biotech. 2024 Mar;14(3):64. doi: 10.1007/s13205-023-03906-3. Epub 2024 Feb 9. 3 Biotech. 2024. PMID: 38344285
-
Global epidemiology of breast cancer based on risk factors: a systematic review.Front Oncol. 2023 Oct 10;13:1240098. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1240098. eCollection 2023. Front Oncol. 2023. PMID: 37886170 Free PMC article.
-
Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Associations with Pubertal Onset and Serum Reproductive Hormones in a Longitudinal Study of Young Girls in Greater Cincinnati and the San Francisco Bay Area.Environ Health Perspect. 2023 Sep;131(9):97009. doi: 10.1289/EHP11811. Epub 2023 Sep 26. Environ Health Perspect. 2023. PMID: 37751325 Free PMC article.
-
PFAS and Phthalate/DINCH Exposure in Association with Age at Menarche in Teenagers of the HBM4EU Aligned Studies.Toxics. 2023 Aug 18;11(8):711. doi: 10.3390/toxics11080711. Toxics. 2023. PMID: 37624216 Free PMC article.
-
History of infertility and risk of breast cancer: a prospective cohort study.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023 May;199(1):185-193. doi: 10.1007/s10549-023-06907-1. Epub 2023 Mar 16. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023. PMID: 36928623 Free PMC article.
References
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical