Environment and Breast Cancer: Science Review

Association of serum adiponectin levels with breast cancer risk
Miyoshi, Y., Funahashi, T., Kihara, S., Taguchi, T., Tamaki, Y., Matsuzawa, Y., Noguchi, S. Clinical Cancer Research. 2003. 9:15, 5699-704.

Topic area
Body size
Body size
Study design
Retrospective case-control
Retrospective case-control
Funding agency
Other: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Sci
Other: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Sci

Study Participants
Number of Cases
102 (52 pre) (50 post)
102 (52 pre) (50 post)
Menopausal Status
Post menopausal
The menopausal status of women included in this study is listed here.
Pre menopausalPost menopausal
Number of Controls
Control: 100 (45 pre) (55 post)
Control: 100 (45 pre) (55 post)
Participant selection: Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Criteria used to select participants in the study.
In: Breast cancer patients treated consecutively with masectomy or breast-conserving surgery in Osaka University Hospital from March 2000 to March 2001 (cases), and women who participated in breast cancer screening at the affiliated institutes in Osaka from June 2001 and December 2001 (controls)
Comment about participation selection
Strengths: One of the first reports to investigate the relationship between serum adiponectin levels and breast cancer risk, and study also analyzed breast cancers by clinicopathological characteristics Limitations: Small study, does not discuss measurement of anthropometric data, serum estrone levels assayed only in postmenopausal women, and study was a retrospective case control, does not assess the association between breast cancer and body size, does not assess the association between serum adinopectin levels and body size
Strengths: One of the first reports to investigate the relationship between serum adiponectin levels and breast cancer risk, and study also analyzed breast cancers by clinicopathological characteristics Limitations: Small study, does not discuss measurement of anthropometric data, serum estrone levels assayed only in postmenopausal women, and study was a retrospective case control, does not assess the association between breast cancer and body size, does not assess the association between serum adinopectin levels and body size
Exposures investigated
BMI, serum adiponectin levels
BMI, serum adiponectin levels
How exposure was measured
Biological
Biological
Breast cancer outcome investigated
Primary breast cancer
Primary breast cancer
Ethnic groups with separate analysis
If this study provided a separate analysis by ethnic or racial group, the groups are listed here.
Japanese Women
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, Confounders: age, family history, age at menarche, parity, BMI and age at menopause
Genetic characterization included
If the study analyzed relationships between environmental factors and inherited genetic variations, this field will be marked “Yes.” “No”, if not.
No
Results Comments
Low serum adinopectin levels are significantly associated with breast cancer risk and prognosis.
Low serum adinopectin levels are significantly associated with breast cancer risk and prognosis.

Author address
Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
Controls participation rate
Greater than 70%
Greater than 70%