Prevention of cancers of the breast, endometrium and ovary

Abstract

A central epidemiological feature of cancers of the breast, endometrium and ovary is the sharp slowing down in their rate of increase with age around the time of menopause. The incidence of these tumors by the age of 70 years would be between fourfold and eightfold increased if the rapid increase with age seen in young women continued into old age. These phenomena can be explained by the different effects of ovarian hormones on cell division rates in the relevant tissues. Models of these effects provide a plausible explanation of most of the known epidemiology of each of the cancers, including the increase in breast cancer risk from menopausal estrogen-progestin therapy. Some recent epidemiological findings in endometrial and ovarian cancer suggest new avenues for possible chemoprevention of these cancers.

Counting human somatic cell replications: Methylation mirrors endometrial stem cell divisions

“…Estrogen appears to act as a carcinogen by stimulating cell proliferation in estrogen-responsive tissues (1). Progesterone may also play a role by opposing estrogen (1,13).…”

“…Clinical information was obtained from their medical records. Although hormone therapy influences endometrial divisions (1), and some of the women received exogenous estrogen, this information was not uniformly documented and therefore not analyzed in this study. Glands free of stroma were isolated with a procedure originally developed for the colon (10).…”

“…cancer ͉ endometrium ͉ molecular clock E ndometrial divisions are modulated by estrogen (1), with rapid regeneration after menses, followed by maturation and loss in the absence of implantation. Estrogen is thought to stimulate cell proliferation, resulting in higher risks for carcinoma.…”

Relationships among Serum CA15-3 Tumor Marker, TNM Staging, and Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Expression in Benign and Malignant Breast Lesions

“…However, serum CA15-3 level showed a non-significant increase within elderly menopause patients with breast cancer, in contrast to what was reported by Dehaghani et al, (2007) who found statistically significant values. Aging and menopause usually disturb immunity and hormonal status (Pike et al, 2004;Rymer & Morris, 2000). So screening this marker is recommended for females above forty years since Jordanian develop breast cancer at a much younger age (median age is 51) than women in Western countries (median age is 65) (Jordan breast cancer program, 2012).…”

“…CA15-3 level increased in 10% stage I breast cancer disease, 20% stage II disease, 40% stage III disease, and 75% with stage IV disease (Duffy 2006). Elevated levels of this biomarker were detected among certain benign diseases, primary breast carcinoma (Coveney et al, 1995) and in patients with advanced adenocarcinomas (Anonymous, 1996;RESEARCH COMMUNICATION among females and increase the chance of breast cancer development (Crump et al, 2000;Rymer & Morris, 2000;Pike et al, 2004;Hulka & Moorman;2008), at the same time, serum CA15-3 level showed a significant increase within elderly menopause patients with breast cancer (Dehaghani et al, 2007). The aim of this study is to determine serum level of the tumor marker CA15-3 among Jordanian healthy, benign breast lesions and breast cancer females, as well as to highlight relationship between CA15-3 level with cancer onset age, menarche, menopause, body mass index (BMI), oral contraceptives (OCP), hormonal therapy (HT), tumor grade, stage and hormonal receptor status among breast cancer females.…”