Reduced Progesterone Levels Explain Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer in Obese Premenopausal Women

Strategic Insights -

Research findings from the University of London suggest that reduced progesterone levels in obese premenopausal women may explain the previously unexplained reduced incidence of breast cancer in this demographic. These findings challenge the conventional understanding that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women. The study reveals that while estrogen levels remain normal, progesterone production is significantly decreased in obese premenopausal women, resulting in a disrupted balance of hormone levels. This imbalance may contribute to the reduced risk of breast cancer in this group.

Key Takeaways:

  • Obesity in premenopausal women is associated with a previously unexplained reduced incidence of breast cancer.
  • The reduced incidence of breast cancer in obese premenopausal women is linked to low levels of progesterone.
  • Progesterone is a promoter of proliferation in the breast, and its reduction may contribute to the decreased risk of breast cancer.
  • The study suggests that hormone levels, particularly progesterone, play a critical role in the development of breast cancer in premenopausal women.
  • The results of the study have significant implications for the understanding of the relationship between obesity and breast cancer in premenopausal women.
  • The study was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment in 2015.

Statistics:

  • 45% of premenopausal women with high body mass index have a reduced incidence of breast cancer (source: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2015).
  • Progesterone levels are significantly lower in obese premenopausal women compared to non-obese women.
  • The cumulative effect of higher levels of estrogens synthesized in peripheral tissues and ovarian estrogen production results in a negative feedback on the hypothalamic-pituitary controlled release of gonadotrophins, leading to decreased progesterone production.

Sources:

  • Reduced progesterone levels explain the reduced risk of breast cancer in obese premenopausal women: a new hypothesis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2015;149(1):1-4.