Breast Cancer Risk in Relation to Urinary Estrogen Metabolites and Their Genetic Determinants: A Study with in the Dutch "DOM" Cohort

摘要

Purpose and scope: we are conducting a large case-control study, nested within a prospective cohort, to estimate relative risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women by levels of urinary estrogens and estrogen metabolites. Progress report: in this third year of the project, a very sensitive gas-chromatography/ mass-spectrometry method for the measurements of estrogens and estrogen metabolites in frozen urine samples from post-menopausal women has been set up to replace the method initially foreseen in collaboration with Dr. Mindy Kurzer (University of Minnesota). Some urine samples from the DOM cohort have already been analyzed, showing the applicability of the method for this study. Conclusions: due to the lack of sensitivity of the mass spectrometry method initially foreseen for the measurement of the estrogen metabolites, and the need to replace this method with a more sensitive one, our study is substantially delayed. However, we have finally set up a very sensitive method that will allow the measurements of all estrogens and estrogen metabolites in the DOM urine samples. We ask for an extension of one year for the project, so as to allow us to complete the hormone assays in all urine samples, and perform statistical analyses.