Breast stem cells are exquisitely sensitive to the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone, researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered. This is a finding that opens the way for the development of new preventions and treatments for breast cancer.
The discovery, by scientists in the institute's Stem Cells and Cancer and Bioinformatics divisions, also explains decades of evidence linking breast cancer risk to exposure to female hormones.
Breast Cancer - Causes, Risks, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Staging, Treatment, Prevention & Prognosis
Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breasts or mammary glands. Early detection and lifestyle changes help in controlling breast cancer.
Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breasts or mammary glands. Early detection and lifestyle changes help in controlling breast cancer.
Dr Jane Visvader, who led the research with Dr Geoff Lindeman, said sustained exposure to oestrogen and progesterone was a well-established risk factor for breast cancer. "There is a clear evidence that the more menstrual cycles a woman has the greater her breast cancer risk," Dr Visvader said. "There is even an increase in breast cancer risk in the short-term following pregnancy. However the cellular basis for these observations has been poorly understood."
In the mid-2000s, Drs Visvader and Lindeman discovered breast stem cells in both mice and humans. Unexpectedly, however, they also found that breast stem cells lacked 'receptors' that would allow them to be directly controlled by the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone.
About Cancer in Women
Cancer is one of the frequently talked about and most feared disease that falls under the genre of lifestyle diseases that have evolved, rather rapidly, in the past two decades.
Cancer is one of the frequently talked about and most feared disease that falls under the genre of lifestyle diseases that have evolved, rather rapidly, in the past two decades.
Source-Eurekalert
RAS
Breast Lumps
Most breast lumps are caused by hormonal changes in a woman and may not be cancerous. Common causes of breast lumps include fibroadenosis, breast cancer, breast cyst.
Most breast lumps are caused by hormonal changes in a woman and may not be cancerous. Common causes of breast lumps include fibroadenosis, breast cancer, breast cyst.
Breast Lumps Screening
Breast lumps must never be neglected but instead be subjected to medical examination to rule out cancer.
Breast lumps must never be neglected but instead be subjected to medical examination to rule out cancer.
