Reversed cerebral asymmetry in women with breast cancer.
Altered intrauterine hormonal environment might predispose to both atypical cerebral asymmetry and breast cancer. We therefore investigated computed tomographic scans of 79 right-handed, white patients with breast cancer and 97 controls to assess the pattern of cerebral asymmetry. Women with breast cancer had a reversed pattern of cerebral asymmetry significantly more often than did controls (p less than 0.0001 for both frontal and occipital width. Our findings suggest that an intrauterine or early life factor, probably hormonal, could predispose to breast cancer in adulthood.
Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachussetts 02215.
T A
TA
Sandson
P Y
PY
Wen
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M
LeMay
D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones