Circulating levels of sex hormones and their relation to risk factors for breast cancer: a cross-sectional study in 1092 pre- and postmenopausal women (United Kingdom).

Journal article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between plasma concentrations of sex hormones and risk factors for breast cancer. METHODS: We investigated the relationship of plasma concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) with breast cancer risk factors in 636 premenopausal and 456 postmenopausal women. Risk factor data were obtained from questionnaires and hormone concentrations measured by immunoassays; variations in geometric means were compared using analysis of covariance. RESULTS: SHBG decreased with increasing body mass index and increasing waist-hip ratio both in pre- and postmenopausal women. In postmenopausal women only, estradiol increased with increasing body mass index. In premenopausal women, estradiol decreased with increasing physical activity, estradiol was higher in current than in ex- and non-smokers, and FSH decreased with increasing alcohol intake. No associations were observed between sex hormones and age at menarche, parity, age at menopause, and previous use of oral contraceptives in either pre- or postmenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS: Certain factors such as obesity and perhaps waist-hip ratio, physical activity and alcohol consumption, but probably not age at menarche and parity, may mediate their effects on breast cancer risk by changing circulating concentrations of sex hormones.

Authors: Verkasalo, P; Thomas, H; Appleby, P; Davey, G; Key, T

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Cancer causes and control : CCC
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 47-59
• Publication date: 2001-01-01
• DOI: 10.1023/a:1008929714862
• EISSN: 1573-7225
• ISSN: 0957-5243
• Language: English
• Keywords: Obesity; Exercise; Risk Factors; Cross-Sectional Studies; Analysis of Variance; Life Style; Smoking; Body Constitution; Alcohol Drinking; Progesterone; Premenopause; Questionnaires; Adult; Female; Great Britain; Humans; Estradiol; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; Aged; Breast Neoplasms; Middle Aged; Body Mass Index; Postmenopause; Follicle Stimulating Hormone; Gonadal Steroid Hormones; Luteinizing Hormone