title: Associations between cadmium exposure and circulating levels of sex hormones in postmenopausal women.
abstract: Recent epidemiological as well as in vivo and in vitro studies collectively suggest that the metalloestrogen cadmium (Cd) could be a potential risk factor for hormone-related cancers in particularly breast cancer. Assessment of the association between Cd exposure and levels of endogenous sex hormones is of pivotal importance, as increased levels of such have been associated with a higher risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The present study investigated the perceived relationship (multivariable-adjusted linear regression analyses) between Cd exposure [blood Cd (B-Cd) and urinary Cd (U-Cd)], and serum levels of androstenedione, testosterone, estradiol, and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), in 438 postmenopausal Swedish women without hormone replacement therapy (HRT). A significant positive association between B-Cd (median 3.4 nmol/L) and serum testosterone levels, as well as a significant inverse association between B-Cd and serum estradiol levels and with the estradiol/testosterone ratio were encountered. However, U-Cd (median 0.69 nmol/mmol creatinine) was inversely associated with serum estradiol levels only. Our data may suggest that Cd interferes with the levels of testosterone and estradiol in postmenopausal women, which might have implications for breast cancer risk.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engström
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vahter
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skerfving
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lundh
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lidfeldt
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Samsioe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Krister
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Halldin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: agneta.akesson@ki.se.
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Åkesson
mesh_terms: D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D002104:Cadmium
keywords: Breast-cancer; Cadmium; Postmenopausal women; Sex-hormones