ASPO Abstracts
Androgens and the risk for breast cancer in women with a family history
Category: Molecular Epidemiology & Environment
Conference Year: 2019
Abstract Body:
Purpose of the study: Several studies in average risk cohorts have supported an association between androgen levels and increased breast cancer risk but these studies have not been conducted in women with a family history of breast cancer. Methods: We examined the role of androgens across a spectrum of absolute breast cancer risk predicted by family pedigree information in the New York site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry (BCFR). We conducted a prospective, nested case control with 62 cases and 124 controls matched on menopausal status, age and race. We measured concentrations of 8 androgens and creatinine using GC-MS in urine samples collected at baseline enrollment into the cohort. Overall coefficients of variation ranged from 4-11%. We calculated predicted 1-year absolute risk based on the Breast and Ovarian Analysis of Disease Incidence and Carrier Estimation Algorithm (BOADICEA). We used conditional logistic regression to estimate the odds ratios (ORS) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We assessed confounding by established breast cancer risk factors including various, reproductive, anthropometric, lifestyle variables and retained year of birth, parity/breastfeeding and physical activity in the parsimonious model. Results: Higher androgen concentrations were associated with increased risk of breast cancer across all 8 androgens with statistically significant associations specifically for one logged unit increase of: androsterone (OR=2.2; 95%CI=1.2-4.1); 11-hydroxy-androsterone (OR=2.5; 95%CI=1.3-5.0); 11-oxo-androsterone (OR=2.0; 95%CI=1.0-4.0). These associations remained after adjusting for absolute risk score and BMI. Conclusions: Our results support that androgens are associated with breast cancer risk across the spectrum of risk and are independent of body size.
Keywords: breast cancer, hormones, family history