Environment and Breast Cancer: Science Review


Evidence From Humans
 
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Val158Met Polymorphism in catechol-O-methyltransferase gene associated with risk factors for breast cancer
Hong, C. C., Thompson, H. J., Jiang, C., Hammond, G. L., Tritchler, D., Yaffe, M., Boyd, N. F. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. 2003. 12:9, 838-47.
Topic area
Body size - Genetic variability
Study design
Other: Cross sectional
Funding agency
Other: Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative;
Study Participants
Menopausal Status
The menopausal status of women included in this study is listed here.
Pre menopausal
Post menopausal
Cohort participation rate
Greater than 70%
Participant selection: Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Criteria used to select participants in the study.
Pre and postmenopausal disease free women studied to assess COMT and breast density
Exposures investigated
BMI, COMT allele frequency, used PCR-RFLP
How exposure was measured
Questionnaire, self-administered
Ethnic groups with separate analysis
If this study provided a separate analysis by ethnic or racial group, the groups are listed here.
Asian Americans Jewish Non-Hispanic White Americans
Confounders considered
Other breast cancer risk factors, such as family history, age at first birth, and hormone replacement therapy use, that were taken into account in the study.
Adequately controlled
Genetic characterization included
If the study analyzed relationships between environmental factors and inherited genetic variations, this field will be marked “Yes.” “No”, if not.
Yes
Description of major analysis
Logistic regression analysis of COMT genotype and breast density, including effect modification by BMI
Strength of associations reported
Low-activity COMT allele is associated with lower levels of mammographic density in premenopausal women only
BMI and body size may be effect modifiers
Author concluded that adjusting for body size is overadjusting
Body size mediates relationship between COMT and breast density