Hormone oestrogen linked to male breast cancer

ConclusionThis study has identified that oestrogen may play a role in the development of breast cancer in men. The study’s strengths include the prospective collection of data, and the relatively large group of cases, given how rare the disease is.One of the main limitations of this type of study is that other factors may influence results. In this study, this risk was minimised by matching controls to cases within each country, and by adjusting for various confounders in the analyses. Despite this, some unmeasured confounders may still have an effect. For example, breast cancer in a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) was five times more common in men who developed breast cancer, and there was no information on whether any of the men carried a high risk form of the BRCA genes, which increase the risk of cancer. In addition, only one blood sample appeared to be tested for each man, and at various times before their diagnosis. It is possible that the single sample taken may not be representative of levels over a longer period.It is difficult to say from this type of study whether oestrogen levels are directly causing an increase in risk. The authors note that it is not clear how higher levels of oestrogen might increase breast cancer risk.Overall, the findings of this study seem plausible, given what is known about breast cancer in women, and could increase knowledge about possible risk factors for male breast cancer.Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow B...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Source Type: news