title: Possible effects of insulin-like growth factor-I, IGF-binding protein-3 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio on mammographic density: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the possible effects of IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio on mammographic density and assess whether this relationship was similar in subgroups of pre- and postmenopausal women. A group of 341 Italian women of childbearing age or naturally postmenopausal who had performed mammographic examination at the section of radiology of our department a maximum three months prior to recruitment were enrolled. A blood sample was drawn for determination of IGF-1, IGFBP-3 levels and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio was calculated. On the basis of recent mammograms the women were divided into two groups: dense breast (DB) and non-dense breast (NDB). To assess the association between mammographic density and IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and Molar ratio Student's t-test was employed before and after stratified by menopausal status. The analysis of the relationship between mammographic density and plasma levels of IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio showed that IGF-1 levels and molar ratio varied in the two groups resulting in higher mean values in the DB group whereas IGFBP-3 showed similar values in both groups (DB and NDB). After stratification of the study population by menopausal status, no association was found. Our study provides strong evidence of a crude association between breast density, and plasma levels of IGF-1 and molar ratio. IGF-1 and molar ratio might increase mammographic density and thus the risk of developing breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric and Gynaecological Sciences and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. marialetizia.meggiorini@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Meggiorini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cipolla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borgoni
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nofroni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Felice
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood; D017697:Premenopause / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I