Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), related symptoms/sequelae, and breast cancer risk in a population-based case-control study.

Purpose: Despite the overlap between the clinical symptoms/sequelae of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and many known reproductive risk factors for breast cancer, the relationship between PCOS and breast cancer remains unclear, possibly because of the complex heterogeneity and challenges in diagnosing PCOS over time. We hypothesized that PCOS, specific PCOS-related symptoms/sequelae, or clusters of PCOS-related symptoms/sequelae may be differentially associated with pre- versus postmenopausal breast cancer risk.

Materials And Methods: Cases were 1,508 women newly diagnosed with a first primary in situ or invasive breast, and the 1,556 population-based controls were frequency-matched by age.

Genetic variants associated with breast cancer risk for Ashkenazi Jewish women with strong family histories but no identifiable BRCA1/2 mutation.

The ability to establish genetic risk models is critical for early identification and optimal treatment of breast cancer. For such a model to gain clinical utility, more variants must be identified beyond those discovered in previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS). This is especially true for women at high risk because of family history, but without BRCA1/2 mutations.

Genetic variation in telomere maintenance genes, telomere length and breast cancer risk.

Background: Telomeres at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes play a critical role in maintaining the integrity and stability of the genome and participate in the initiation of DNA damage/repair responses.

Methods: We performed a case-control study to evaluate the role of three SNPs (TERT-07, TERT-54 and POT1-03) in telomere maintenance genes previously found to be significantly associated with breast cancer risk. We used sister-sets obtained from the New York site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry (BCFR).

Racial/ethnic differences in hormonally-active hair product use: a plausible risk factor for health disparities.

Estrogen and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that are associated with several health outcomes have been found in hair products. We evaluated the proportion, frequency, duration, and content of hair products in a racially/ethnically diverse population. We recruited n = 301 African-American, African-Caribbean, Hispanic, and white women from the New York metropolitan area.

Childhood hair product use and earlier age at menarche in a racially diverse study population: a pilot study.

Purpose: Previous studies suggest that hair products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals could alter puberty. We evaluated the association between childhood hair product use and age at menarche in a racially diverse study population.

Methods: We recruited 300 African-American, African-Caribbean, Hispanic, and white women from the New York City metropolitan area who were between 18-77 years of age.