IJERPH, Vol. 16, Pages 4731: Environmental Influences on Mammographic Breast Density in California: A Strategy to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

IJERPH, Vol. 16, Pages 4731: Environmental Influences on Mammographic Breast Density in California: A Strategy to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph16234731 Authors: Barbara A. Cohn Mary Beth Terry State legislation in many U.S. states, including California, mandates informing women if they have dense breasts on screening mammography, meaning over half of their breast tissue is comprised of non-adipose tissue. Breast density is important to interpret screening sensitivity and is an established breast cancer risk factor. Environmental chemical exposures may play an important role in this, especially during key windows of susceptibility for breast development: in utero, during puberty, pregnancy, lactation, and the peri-menopause. There is a paucity of research, however, examining whether environmental chemical exposures are associated with mammographic breast density, and even less is known about environmental exposures during windows of susceptibility. Now, with clinical breast density scoring being reported routinely for mammograms, it is possible to find out, especially in California, where there are large study populations that can link environmental exposures during windows of susceptibility to breast density. Density scores are now available throughout the state through electronic medical records. We can link these with environmental chemical exposures via state-wide monitoring. Studyi...
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Communication Source Type: research