BCERC: Science: Overview

Overview

Research, Reports
and Presentations

Sandra Z. Haslam,
PhD

The purposes of this study are to determine first, whether or not certain environmental stressors present in the early years of a girl’s life might increase the risk of breast cancer later in life, and, if this is true, what stressors are most likely to affect breast cancer risk. By being able to follow a group of young girls whom we’ve already studied extensively, and continue with them as they mature, we have a great opportunity for a long-term study that will no doubt yield extremely valuable results.

Science team

Pictured above from left: Richard Miksicek, Chengfeng Yang, Richard Schwartz, Sandra Haslam, L. Karl Olson

The Hypothesis:
Environmental stressors, specifically those present in the early stages of life (in utero to early childhood), obviously affect the timing of sexual maturation and of puberty. We hypothesize that these stressors relating to feeding (formula versus lactational) and other environmental factors that accelerate development have the potential to increase breast cancer risk.

The Study:
The proposed epidemiological study takes advantage of a unique opportunity to follow-up a multiethnic cohort of five hundred girls, ages 4-11, for whom we have extensive in utero exposures and birth characteristics information, and the opportunity to prospectively collect their childhood exposures, identify relevant genetic polymorphisms and relate them to timing of pubertal development.

Partners in the Project:

Community Advocates
Community-Based Organizations
Faith-Based Organizations
Other Stakeholders

The Rationale:
Findings about the influence of these various environmental stressors on the timing of pubertal development might suggest new breast cancer prevention strategies that can be initiated early in life.