2D:4D Finger Ratio and Mammographic Density. A Risk Factor for Breast Cancer?

Introducción: La densidad mamográfica, así como el riesgo de presentar cáncer de mama, esta relacionado con múltiples factores de riesgo, tales como edad, factores genéticos, hereditarios, obesidad, dieta, tabaquismo, alcohol, y en algunos estudios se ha visto asociación de algo no muy frecuente como es la longitud de los dedos o ratio de los dedos, haciendo énfasis en la medición del segundo y cuarto dedo (2D:4D). Materiales y Métodos: Estudio transversal. La población de este estudio son las mujeres que asisten a mamografía de tamizaje en la Clínica Colombia (Colsanitas) en la ciudad de Bogotá entre 2019 y 2022. Se evalúa la relación de la densidad mamográfica y la razón de la longitud del segundo y cuarto dedo de la mano izquierda (D2:D4), una regresión lineal tomando como variable dependiente la trasformación logarítmica de la densidad mamográficas y ajustando el modelo por edad, índice de masa corporal, paridad y antecedente familiar de cáncer de mama, edad de la menarquia, estatus menopáusico y paridad. Resultados: En el presente estudio no encontramos relación entre la densidad mamográfica y D2:D4, lo cual puede deberse a que no haya una relación real entre la relación de la exposición a testosterona intra-útero y el cáncer de mama o que está relación no se encuentra mediada con la densidad mamográfica.Introduction: Mammographic density, as well as the risk of developing breast cancer, is related to multiple risk factors such as age, genetic and hereditary factors, obesity, diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and in some studies, an association has been observed with a less common factor, which is the length of fingers or the digit ratio, specifically focusing on the measurement of the second and fourth fingers (2D:4D). Materials and Methods: Trasversal study. The population of this study consists of women attending screening mammography at Clínica Colombia (Colsanitas) in the city of Bogotá between 2019 and 2022. The relationship between mammographic density and the ratio of the length of the second and fourth fingers of the left hand (D2:D4) is evaluated using linear regression, with the logarithmically transformed mammographic density as the dependent variable. The model is adjusted for age, body mass index, parity, family history of breast cancer, age at menarche, menopausal status, and parity. Results: In the present study, we did not find a relationship between mammographic density and D2:D4. This could be due to the absence of a real association between in-utero testosterone exposure and breast cancer or that such an association is not mediated by mammographic density

Total effective xenoestrogen burden in serum samples and risk for breast cancer in a population-based multicase-control study in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on endocrine-disrupting chemicals and breast cancer have focused on single compounds and have produced inconclusive findings. OBJECTIVES: We assessed the combined estrogenic effects of mixtures of xenoestrogens in serum and their relationship to breast cancer risk. METHODS: A total of 186 incident pretreatment breast cancer cases and 196 frequency-matched controls were randomly sampled from a large population-based multicase-control study in Spain. The total effective xenoestrogen burden attributable to organohalogenated xenoestrogens (TEXB-α) and endogenous hormones and more polar xenoestrogens (TEXB-β) was determined in serum samples using high-performance liquid chromatography and E-Screen bioassay. Odds ratios for breast cancer comparing tertiles of serum TEXB-α and TEXB-β were estimated using logistic models, and smooth risk trends were obtained using spline models. RESULTS: Cases had higher geometric mean TEXB-α and TEXB-β levels (8.32 and 9.94 Eeq pM/mL, respectively) than controls (2.99 and 5.96 Eeq pM/mL, respectively). The fully adjusted odds ratios for breast cancer (95% confidence intervals) comparing the second and third tertiles of TEXB-α with the first tertile were 1.77 (0.76, 4.10) and 3.45 (1.50, 7.97), respectively, and those for TEXB-β were 2.35 (1.10, 5.03) and 4.01 (1.88, 8.56), respectively. A steady increase in risk was evident across all detected TEXB-α levels and a sigmoidal trend was observed for TEXB-β. Individual xenoestrogens showed weak and opposing associations with breast cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to show a strong positive association between serum total xenoestrogen burden and breast cancer risk, highlighting the importance of evaluating xenoestrogen mixtures, rather than single compounds, when studying hormone-related cancers.This study was partially supported by Acción Transversal del Cancer, approved by the Spanish Ministry Council on 11 October 2007; Carlos III Institute of Health (grants PI08/1770, PI09/00773- Cantabria, PI11/00610, PI12/00265, PI12/00488, PI12/00715, and PI12/01270); and Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla (grant API 10/09). Biological samples were stored at biobanks supported by the Carlos III Institute of Health and the European Regional Development Fund (MAR Biobank RD09/0076/00036 and ISCIII Biobank RD09/0076/00108)