Gene-Gene and Gene-Environment Interactions in the Etiology of Breast Cancer

Abstract

The objective of this CDA is to evaluate the gene-gene and gene-environment interactions in the etiology of breast cancer in two ongoing case-control studies, the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study (SBCS) and the Nashville Breast Health Study (NBHS), and in one proposed case-control study, the Breast Cancer in West Africa Study (BCWAS). The work in the first year has resulted in a study from the SBHS entitled "Genetic polymorphisms in uridine diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) and risk of breast cancer," presented at the American Association for Cancer Research molecular epidemiology meeting in Waikoloa, Hawaii, January 2003. The awardee participated in the conduct of the NBHS and in the development of a full-study funding proposal resubmitted to the National Cancer Institute in March 2003. Funding to conduct the pilot project of the BCWAS for 2 years starting in May 2003 was obtained from the Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Results from the investigation of the association of UGT1A1 *28 polymorphism and the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women participating in the SBHS did not indicate a significant role for this polymorphism in the risk of breast cancer. However, in the analysis of hormone levels and UGT1A1 genotype among postmenopausal controls, the authors observed progressively lower blood levels of estrone (E1) and estrone sulfate (E1-S), and higher levels of testosterone and sex-hormone binding globulins (SHBG) with increasing presence of *28 allele compared to the wild *1/*1 genotype. The results suggest that genetic polymorphism in the UGT1A1 gene is related to the blood levels of SHBG and estrogens and may thus be related to the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer in Chinese women. Efforts are underway to conduct similar analyses for the Caucasian and African-American populations in the NBHS and the African population in the BCWAS when these studies have recruited enough participants. (8 refs.)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA418062

Entities

People

  • Olufemi J. Adegoke

Organizations

  • Meharry Medical College

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Biomedical Research
  • Breast Cancer
  • Cancer
  • Environment
  • Epidemiology
  • Etiology
  • Genes
  • Genetic Phenomena
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genetics
  • Health
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Minority Groups
  • Pilot Studies
  • Sex Hormones
  • United States

Readers

  • Women's Health and Cancer Risk Research: African American Women and Pregnancy Outcomes.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology