title: Mammary involution and breast cancer risk: transgenic models and clinical studies.
abstract: Postlactational involution is the process following weaning during which the mammary gland undergoes massive cell death and tissue remodeling as it returns to the pre-pregnant state. Lobular involution is the process by which the breast epithelial tissue is gradually lost with aging of the mammary gland. While postlactational involution and lobular involution are distinct processes, recent studies have indicated that both are related to breast cancer development. Experiments using a variety of rodent models, as well as observations in human populations, suggest that deregulation of postlactational involution may act to facilitate tumor formation. By contrast, new human studies show that completion of lobular involution protects against subsequent breast cancer incidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA. Radisky.Derek@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Derek C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Radisky
authors.forename: Lynn C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases