title: Association of breast adipose tissue levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and breast cancer development in women from Chaoshan, China.
abstract: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are implied to be potential risk factors for breast cancer in wildlife and in in vivo and in vitro studies. Epidemiological studies revealed some individual or groups of PCB congeners associated with breast cancer risk, but consistent conclusions are scarce. This study aimed to explore the association between PCB exposure and breast cancer development. Breast adipose tissues were collected, and seven PCB congeners were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Demographic characteristics, basic clinical data, and pathological diagnosis information were obtained from medical records. The differences in PCB exposure levels among different groups and indices were compared, and the correlation among PCB congeners was evaluated. The order of congener profile by molar concentration was PCB-153 > PCB-138 > PCB-180 > PCB-118 > PCB-101 > PCB-52 > PCB-28. ∑PCB level differed by occupation and residence and was significantly higher at 55-59-year-old group than at the other age groups. ∑PCB level was higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women. Decreasing ∑PCB levels were related with increasing parity among women with progesterone receptor (PR)-positive breast tumors. With increased clinical stage, the ∑PCB level increased significantly. ∑PCB level did not differ by tumor-node-metastasis classification and PR or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression but did differ by estrogen receptor (ER) expression (P = 0.04) without a regularly increasing trend in breast adipose tissue. These results suggest a potential association between PCB exposure and breast cancer development. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to confirm these findings and explain the underlying mechanisms. Graphical Abstract Total PCBs level among different clinical stages in breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, No. 22, Xinling Rd, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, China.
authors.forename: Yuanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Health Care Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, China.
authors.forename: Yiteng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, No. 22, Xinling Rd, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, No. 22, Xinling Rd, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, China.
authors.forename: Shukai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, No. 22, Xinling Rd, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, China.
authors.forename: Caixia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, No. 22, Xinling Rd, Shantou, Guangdong, 515041, China. kswu@stu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Kusheng
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5163-2524
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human
keywords: Breast adipose; Breast cancer; Exposure; Polychlorinated biphenyls