ASPO Abstracts
Time-specific impact of trace metals on breast composition of adolescent girls in Santiago, Chile
Category: Early Detection & Risk Prediction
Conference Year: 2023
Abstract Body:
Purpose of Study: To prospectively evaluate the association between trace metals at specific pubertal time points on adolescent breast density, an early life risk factor for breast cancer. Method: This study included Chilean girls from the Growth and Obesity Cohort Study with urine sample collection at Tanner breast stage B1 (n=291) and at stages both B1 and B4 (n=253) and breast density measurements at 2 years post menarche. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess the volume of dense breast tissue (absolute fibroglandular volume (FGV)) and percent breast density (%FGV). Urine trace metals analyzed included arsenic, barium, cadmium, cobalt, cesium, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony, selenium, tin, thallium, vanadium, and zinc. Parametric G-formula was used to estimate the time-specific association between trace metals and breast density. The analyses accounted for the covariates age, body fat percentage, birthweight, age of menarche, maternal education, and creatinine. Results: At B1, a doubling of thallium concentration resulted in 13.69 cm3 increase in absolute FGV (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.81, 24.52), while a doubling of lead concentration was associated with a 7.76 cm3 decrease in absolute FGV (95%CI: -14.71, -0.73). At B4, a doubling of barium concentration was associated with a 10.06 cm3 increase (95% CI: 1.44, 18.60), copper concentration with a 12.29 cm3 increase (95% CI: 2.78, 21.56) lead concentration with a 9.86 cm3 increase (95% CI: 0.73, 18.98), antimony concentration with a 12.97 cm3 increase (95% CI: 1.98, 23.79) and vanadium concentration resulted in a 13.14 cm3 increase in absolute FGV (95% CI: 2.73, 23.58). Conclusions: Our evaluation of environmental exposures in relation to breast density provides insights into the potential biological mechanisms of carcinogenesis in the breast during the critical period of puberty. In this cohort of Latino girls, selected trace metals - barium, copper, lead, antimony, thallium, and vanadium – were associated with absolute breast density. We also observed an association between copper and percent FGV.
Keywords: Breast density, breast cancer, trace metals, endocrine disrupting chemicals, G-methods