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Research has found that some of the genes responsible for determining the cup size of a woman have earlier been found to be associated with breast cancer. So is it right to infer that the size of your breasts determine your risk of breast cancer?
In a breakthrough study, researchers from a California based personal genomics company “23 and Me”, led by Dr. Nicholas Eriksson, found a possible link between a woman's breast size and the risk of developing breast cancer. Studies that were done earlier had already established an association between breast density and breast cancer. Studies have also shown a link between fat deposition on the body and breast cancer development. This study showed that the genes involved in breast size and those involved in development of breast cancer share some overlap for the first time, however.
The study, which was published in the journal BMC Medical Genetics, was conducted on 16,175 females of European ancestry. The investigators were trying to find out more about the genetic factors underlying the breast size of a woman. In order to achieve this, the researchers conducted a genome wide association study (GWAS) in which the women self-reported their bra cup size. Confounding factors like the age of the participants, their genetic ancestry, and the women's history of pregnancies or breast surgeries were taken into consideration when it came to publishing the final results.
The researchers were looking for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are responsible for certain traits, like the breast size, apart from illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, etc. SNPs are variations in the normal DNA wherein a single nucleotide in a genomic sequence is altered. The team was able to identify seven SNPs associated with a person's breast size.
What surprised the researchers was the fact that two of these SNPs are also seen in cases of breast cancer. The same allele was found to be associated with increase in breast size as well as increase in the risk of developing breast cancer. Another SNP associated with breast size was found in close proximity to a SNP linked to breast density and increased breast cancer risk. The other SNPs related to the breast size were also found near the genes responsible for mammary development, estrogen regulation and breast cancer.
The results of the study provide an idea about the genetic basis behind normal breast development. The results also highlight the fact that some of the factors responsible for breast development in women may also be responsible for breast cancer. Although the study does not prove that increased breast size leads to an increased risk of breast cancer, it throws light on the interactions between the breast structure and the risk of breast cancer.
Continue reading after recommendations
- “Breast Cancer Risk Might Be Tied To Breast Size, Study Says”, by Catherine Pearson, published in the July 5, 2012 issue of the Huffington Post, accessed on August 10, 2012.
- “Breast size, handedness and breast cancer risk”, by Hsieh CC, et al, published in the 1991 issue of the European Journal of Cancer, accessed on August 10, 2012.
- Photo courtesy of craftydame on Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/craftydame/4024368125
- Photo courtesy of tipstimes on Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/tipstimes/7483357092