Implication of oestrogen in the development of breast cancer: a brief narrative review

Authors

  • Princess Nweze Department of Public and Community Health, Novena University, Ogume, Delta State, Nigeria http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1318-9853
  • Ezekiel U. Nwose School of Community Health, Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, Australia
  • Eunice O. Igumbor Department of Public and Community Health, Novena University, Ogume, Delta State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20175076

Keywords:

Anthropometric measures, Breast cancer risk, Lifestyle confounding factors

Abstract

The presence of hormones in milk and dairy foods was discussed decades ago but more concerns were with respect to finding hormones as biomarkers in milk for diseases and pregnancy diagnosis. Considerable amount of studies demonstrated that milk is essential for infants growing and immunity, while increasing body of evidence are indicating possible negative impact on human health including the role of some estrogens in the initiation and provoking of breast cancer. In this brief narrative, we reviewed recent data on oestrogens and breast cancer risk including comparative levels of hormones in cow milk, risk of breast cancer attributable to intake of different foods and lifestyle factors. Empirical findings indicate that consumption of cow milk is probably being over-emphasized as source of exogenous oestrogen, whereas control of alcohol as well as obesity and physical activity are under-emphasized in discourses on preventive protocols.

 

References

Steiner E, Klubert D, Knutson D. Assessing breast cancer risk in women. Am Fam Physician. 2008;78(12):1361-6.

World Health Organization: Cancer country profiles: Nigeria. 2014. Available at: http://www.who.int/cancer/country-profiles/en/. Accessed 13th Sep, 2017.

Ghoncheh M, Pournamdar Z, Salehiniya H. Incidence and Mortality and Epidemiology of Breast Cancer in the World. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016;17(S3):43-6.

Elmore JG, Armstrong K, Lehman CD, Fletcher SW. Screening for breast cancer. JAMA. 2005;293(10):1245-56.

Cuzick J. First results from the International Breast Cancer Intervention Study (IBIS-I): a randomised prevention trial. The Lancet. 2002;360(9336):817-24.

Pike MC, Spicer DV, Dahmoush L, Press MF. Estrogens progestogens normal breast cell proliferation and breast cancer risk. Epidemiol Rev. 1993;15(1):17-35.

Travis RC, Key TJ. Oestrogen exposure and breast cancer risk. Breast Cancer Res. 2003;5(5):239-47.

Key TJ. Endogenous oestrogens and breast cancer risk in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Steroids. 2011;76(8):812-5.

Cuzick J, Powles T, Veronesi U, Forbes J, Edwards R, Ashley S, et al. Overview of the main outcomes in breast-cancer prevention trials. The Lancet. 2003;361(9354):296-300.

Dao TL, VChan PC: Hormones and dietary fat as promoters in mammary carcinogenesis. Environ Health Perspect. 1983;50:219-25.

Clevenger CV, Furth PA, Hankinson SE, Schuler LA. The role of prolactin in mammary carcinoma. Endocr Rev. 2003;24(1):1-27.

Lillie EO, Bernstein L, Ursin G. The role of androgens and polymorphisms in the androgen receptor in the epidemiology of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research. 2003;5(3):164-73.

Key T, Appleby P, Barnes I, Reeves G. Endogenous sex hormones and breast cancer in postmenopausal women: reanalysis of nine prospective studies. J National Cancer Inst. 2002;94(8):606-16.

Liu Q, Wuu J, Lambe M, Hsieh S-F, Ekbom A, Hsieh C-C. Transient increase in breast cancer risk after giving birth: postpartum period with the highest risk (Sweden). Cancer Causes and Control. 2002;13(4):299-305.

Rahib L, Smith BD, Aizenberg R, Rosenzweig AB, Fleshman JM, Matrisian LM. Projecting cancer incidence and deaths to 2030: the unexpected burden of thyroid, liver, and pancreas cancers in the United States. Cancer Res. 2014;74(11):2913-21.

Ewertz M, Duffy SW, Adami HO, Kvåle G, Lund E, Meirik O, et al. Age at first birth, parity and risk of breast cancer: A meta‐analysis of 8 studies from the nordic countries. Int J Cancer. 1990;46(4):597-603.

Soler AP, Russo J, Russo IH, Knudsen KA. Soluble fragment of P‐cadherin adhesion protein found in human milk. J Cell Biochem. 2002;85(1):180-4.

Hassan R, Kreitman RJ, Pastan I, Willingham MC. Localization of mesothelin in epithelial ovarian cancer. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol. 2005;13(3):243-7.

Hartmann S, Lacorn M, Steinhart H. Natural occurrence of steroid hormones in food. Food Chemist. 1998;62(1):7-20.

Sahlberg B-L, Axelson M. Identification and quantitation of free and conjugated steroids in milk from lactating women. J Steroid Biochem. 1986;25(3):379-91.

Scippo M-L, Degand G, Duyckaerts A, Maghuin-Rogister G, Delahaut P. Control of the illegal administration of natural steroid hormones in the plasma of bulls and heifers. Analyst. 1994;119(12):2639-44.

Hartwig JH, Bokoch GM, Carpenter CL, Janmey PA, Taylor LA, Toker A, et al. Thrombin receptor ligation and activated Rac uncap actin filament barbed ends through phosphoinositide synthesis in permeabilized human platelets. Cell. 1995;82(4):643-53.

Malekinejad H, Rezabakhsh A. Hormones in dairy foods and their impact on public health - A narrative review article. Iran J Public Heal. 2015;44(6):742-58.

Servos M, Bennie D, Burnison B, Jurkovic A, McInnis R, Neheli T, Schnell A, et al. Distribution of estrogens, 17β-estradiol and estrone, in Canadian municipal wastewater treatment plants. Sci Total Environment. 2005;336(1):155-70.

Ganmaa D, Li X, Qin L, Wang P, Takeda M, Sato A. The experience of Japan as a clue to the etiology of testicular and prostatic cancers. Medic hypotheses. 2003;60(5):724-30.

Pala V, Krogh V, Berrino F, Sieri S, Grioni S, Tjønneland A, et al. Meat, eggs, dairy products, and risk of breast cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(3):602-12.

Missmer SA, Smith-Warner SA, Spiegelman D, Yaun S-S, Adami H-O, Beeson WL, et al. Meat and dairy food consumption and breast cancer: a pooled analysis of cohort studies. Int J Epidemiol. 2002;31(1):78-85.

Linos E, Willett WC, Cho E, Frazier L. Adolescent diet in relation to breast cancer risk among premenopausal women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010;19(3):679-96.

Cauchi JP, Camilleri L, Scerri C. Environmental and lifestyle risk factors of breast cancer in Malta-a retrospective case-control study. EPMA J. 2016;7:20.

Kruk J. Association of lifestyle and other risk factors with breast cancer according to menopausal status: a case-control study in the Region of Western Pomerania (Poland). Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2007;8(4):513-24.

Dieterich M, Stubert J, Reimer T, Erickson N, Berling A. Influence of lifestyle factors on breast cancer risk. Breast care (Basel). 2014;9(6):407-14.

Akhigbe AO, Omuemu VO. Knowledge, attitudes and practice of breast cancer screening among female health workers in a Nigerian urban city. BMC Cancer. 2009;9:203.

Olasehinde O, Boutin-Foster C, Alatise OI, Adisa AO, Lawal OO, Akinkuolie AA, Adesunkanmi AR, Arije OO, Kingham TP. Developing a Breast Cancer Screening Program in Nigeria: Evaluating Current Practices, Perceptions, and Possible Barriers. J Global Oncol; 2017

World Health Organization. WHO PEN protocol 4.1:Assessment and referral of women with suspected breast cancer at primary health care, 2010. Available at: http://www.who.int/entity/ncds /management/Protocol4_1_BreastCancerAssessment_and_referral.pdf?ua=1. Accessed 13th Sep, 2017.

Downloads

Published

2017-11-25

How to Cite

Nweze, P., U. Nwose, E., & O. Igumbor, E. (2017). Implication of oestrogen in the development of breast cancer: a brief narrative review. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 5(12), 5088–5092. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20175076

Issue

Section

Review Articles