title: Exposures to synthetic estrogens at different times during the life, and their effect on breast cancer risk.
abstract: Women are using estrogens for many purposes, such as to prevent pregnancy or miscarriage, or to treat menopausal symptoms. Estrogens also have been used to treat breast cancer which seems puzzling, since there is convincing evidence to support a link between high lifetime estrogen exposure and increased breast cancer risk. In this review, we discuss the findings that maternal exposure to the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy increases breast cancer risk in both exposed mothers and their daughters. In addition, we review data regarding the use of estrogens in oral contraceptives and as postmenopausal hormone therapy and discuss the opposing effects on breast cancer risk based upon timing of exposure. We place particular emphasis on studies investigating how maternal estrogenic exposures during pregnancy increase breast cancer risk among daughters. New data suggest that these exposures induce epigenetic modifications in the mammary gland and germ cells, thereby causing an inheritable increase in breast cancer risk for multiple generations.
authors: Department of Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA. clarkel@georgetown.edu
authors: Leena
authors: L
authors: Hilakivi-Clarke
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: de Assis
authors: Anni
authors: A
authors: Warri
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol / Q000009:adverse effects; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D045166:Estradiol Congeners / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol
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