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Breast Cancer Research
Published in: Breast Cancer Research 4/2007

Open Access 01-08-2007 | Research article

No relationship between circulating levels of sex steroids and mammographic breast density: the Prospect-EPIC cohort

Authors: Martijn Verheus, Petra HM Peeters, Paulus AH van Noord, Yvonne T van der Schouw, Diederick E Grobbee, Carla H van Gils

Published in: Breast Cancer Research | Issue 4/2007

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Abstract

Background

High breast density is associated with increased breast cancer risk. Epidemiologic studies have shown an increase in breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women with high levels of sex steroids. Hence, sex steroids may increase postmenopausal breast cancer risk via an increase of breast density. The objective of the present study was to study the relation between circulating oestrogens and androgens as well as sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in relation to breast density.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 775 postmenopausal women, using baseline data of a random sample of the Prospect-EPIC study. Prospect-EPIC is one of two Dutch cohorts participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, and women were recruited via a breast cancer screening programme. At enrolment a nonfasting blood sample was taken and a mammogram was made. Oestrone, oestradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, testosterone and SHBG levels were measured, using double-antibody radioimmunoassays. Concentrations of free oestradiol and free testosterone were calculated from the measured oestradiol, testosterone and SHBG levels Mammographic dense and nondense areas were measured using a semiquantitative computerized method and the percentage breast density was calculated. Mean breast measures for quintiles of hormone or SHBG levels were estimated using linear regression analyses.

Results

Both oestrogens and testosterone were inversely related with percent breast density, but these relationships disappeared after adjustment for BMI. None of the sex steroids or SHBG was associated with the absolute measure of breast density, the dense area.

Conclusion

The results of our study do not support the hypothesis that sex steroids increase postmenopausal breast cancer risk via an increase in breast density.
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Metadata
Title
No relationship between circulating levels of sex steroids and mammographic breast density: the Prospect-EPIC cohort
Authors
Martijn Verheus
Petra HM Peeters
Paulus AH van Noord
Yvonne T van der Schouw
Diederick E Grobbee
Carla H van Gils
Publication date
01-08-2007
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Breast Cancer Research / Issue 4/2007
Electronic ISSN: 1465-542X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/bcr1758

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