Hormone replacement therapy use dramatically increases breast oestrogen receptor expression in obese postmenopausal women

J S Lawson; A S Field; D D Tran; N Houssami

doi:10.1186/bcr318

Hormone replacement therapy use dramatically increases breast oestrogen receptor expression in obese postmenopausal women

Breast Cancer Res. 2001;3(5):342-5. doi: 10.1186/bcr318. Epub 2001 Jul 16.

Authors

J S Lawson¹, A S Field, D D Tran, N Houssami

Affiliation

¹ School of Health Services Management, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. james.lawson@unsw.edu.au

PMID: 11597325
PMCID: PMC57804
DOI: 10.1186/bcr318

Abstract

Background: It is known that use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by postmenopausal women increases the risk of breast cancer.

Method: In this study, oestrogen receptor (ER)-alpha expression is examined using standard immunoperoxidase technique.

Results: Normal breast samples of 11 Australian postmenopausal women have been included in the ER-alpha study; the result showed a strong correlation (r(2) = 0.80) between ER-alpha expression in normal breast epithelial cells and body mass index (BMI) in normal women who currently use HRT.

Conclusion: This finding confirms that the possibility of increased risk of breast cancer associated with increased ER-alpha expression in normal breast epithelial cells, in turn associated with high BMI and the use of HRT.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Body Mass Index
Breast / metabolism*
Case-Control Studies
Estrogen Receptor alpha
Female
Hormone Replacement Therapy*
Humans
Middle Aged
Obesity*
Postmenopause*
Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism*

Substances

Estrogen Receptor alpha
Receptors, Estrogen