Journal of the National Cancer Institute
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J. Natl. Cancer Inst. · May 2005
Multicenter StudySerum sex steroids in premenopausal women and breast cancer risk within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).
Contrasting etiologic hypotheses about the role of endogenous sex steroids in breast cancer development among premenopausal women implicate ovarian androgen excess and progesterone deficiency, estrogen excess, estrogen and progesterone excess, and both an excess or lack of adrenal androgens (dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA] or its sulfate [DHEAS]) as risk factors. We conducted a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort to examine associations among premenopausal serum concentrations of sex steroids and subsequent breast cancer risk. ⋯ Our results support the hypothesis that elevated blood concentrations of androgens are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women.
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J. Natl. Cancer Inst. · Apr 2005
Plasma sex hormone concentrations and subsequent risk of breast cancer among women using postmenopausal hormones.
Sex hormone concentrations are associated with breast cancer risk among women not using postmenopausal hormones (PMH); however, whether a relationship exists among PMH users is unknown. Therefore, we conducted a prospective, nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) cohort to examine the association between plasma sex hormone concentrations and postmenopausal breast cancer among women using PMH at blood collection. ⋯ Although women using PMH have a different hormonal profile than those not using PMH, plasma sex hormone concentrations appear to be associated with breast cancer risk among PMH users.