Thyroid function and breast cancer. Risk and clinical outcome in relation to thyroid hormones (free T3/T4), TSH, TPO-Antibodies and genetic variants.
(2018)- Abstract
- Thyroid hormone level has been positively associated
with breast cancer cell proliferation and
tumour growth in experimental studies. However,
previous observational studies have been contradictory
on the relationship between thyroid
function and breast cancer. Age is a known risk
factor for breast cancer but its role as a prognostic
factor is less clear. The present thesis therefore
aimed to examine the contradictory relation between
thyroid function and breast cancer risk,
progression and survival. Also, age at breast cancer
diagnosis was evaluated as a prognostic factor.
The first paper was a baseline study on the
influence of age at diagnosis on breast cancer
mortality in... (More) - Thyroid hormone level has been positively associated
with breast cancer cell proliferation and
tumour growth in experimental studies. However,
previous observational studies have been contradictory
on the relationship between thyroid
function and breast cancer. Age is a known risk
factor for breast cancer but its role as a prognostic
factor is less clear. The present thesis therefore
aimed to examine the contradictory relation between
thyroid function and breast cancer risk,
progression and survival. Also, age at breast cancer
diagnosis was evaluated as a prognostic factor.
The first paper was a baseline study on the
influence of age at diagnosis on breast cancer
mortality in different diagnostic periods (follow-up
until 2001). The study was conducted
on 4,453 women diagnosed with breast cancer.
We found that women under 40 years of age had
a poor prognosis, and this association seemed
to be strongest among young women with axillary
lymph node negative breast cancer. Furthermore,
an age of 80 years or more was a prognostic
factor for poor survival, independent of stage
at diagnosis and diagnostic period.
The second paper evaluated pre-diagnostic
levels of free triiodothyronine (free T3), free
thyroxine (free T4), thyroid-stimulating hormone
(TSH), and thyroid peroxidase antibodies
(TPO-Ab) in relation to breast cancer subgroups
and aggressiveness. The cohort used was
the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, which is a
population based cohort of 17,035 women recruited
between 1991 and 1996. Our results
indicated that high pre-diagnostic free T4 levels
and low pre-diagnostic TPO-Ab levels were
associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
This increase was mainly limited to a higher
incidence rate of less aggressive forms of breast
cancer.
In the third paper we examined if the effect of
thyroid function on breast cancer subgroups also
influenced breast cancer survival. We displayed
a positive association between free T4 levels and
an improved breast cancer survival.
The possible effect of genetic markers for free
T4 and TPO-Ab on breast cancer risk was assessed
in the fourth paper. We identified five
markers that influenced the risk of breast cancer,
of which rs2235544 (D101 gene) was the most
interesting. This was the first study to suggest
an association between thyroid-related genetic
variants and breast cancer risk.
The potential association between thyroid
function and breast cancer is complex, as it exerts
its effect through several pathways. This thesis
has contributed to our understanding of how
thyroid function influences breast cancer risk
and breast cancer mortality. In addition, it has
enlightened the importance of age at diagnosis
as a prognostic factor. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/266f5daf-4196-492a-9307-d5a0543438c3
- author
- Brandt, Jasmine LU
- supervisor
-
- Jonas Manjer LU
- Signe Borgquist LU
- opponent
-
- professor Lynge, Elsebeth, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- organization
- alternative title
- Sköldkörtelfunktion och bröstcancer
- publishing date
- 2018-01-19
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Sköldkörtel, Thyroidea, Bröstcancer
- pages
- 58 pages
- publisher
- Lund University: Faculty of Medicine
- defense location
- Kvinnoklinikens Aula, Jan Waldenströms gata 47, ing 74, plan 3, Skånes Universitetssjukhus i Malmö
- defense date
- 2018-01-19 13:00:00
- ISBN
- 978-91-7619-569-7
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- ISSN: 1652-8220 Lund University, Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series 2018:1
- id
- 266f5daf-4196-492a-9307-d5a0543438c3
- date added to LUP
- 2018-01-05 11:27:00
- date last changed
- 2021-03-23 19:54:02
@phdthesis{266f5daf-4196-492a-9307-d5a0543438c3,
abstract = {{Thyroid hormone level has been positively associated<br/>with breast cancer cell proliferation and<br/>tumour growth in experimental studies. However,<br/>previous observational studies have been contradictory<br/>on the relationship between thyroid<br/>function and breast cancer. Age is a known risk<br/>factor for breast cancer but its role as a prognostic<br/>factor is less clear. The present thesis therefore<br/>aimed to examine the contradictory relation between<br/>thyroid function and breast cancer risk,<br/>progression and survival. Also, age at breast cancer<br/>diagnosis was evaluated as a prognostic factor.<br/>The first paper was a baseline study on the<br/>influence of age at diagnosis on breast cancer<br/>mortality in different diagnostic periods (follow-up<br/>until 2001). The study was conducted<br/>on 4,453 women diagnosed with breast cancer.<br/>We found that women under 40 years of age had<br/>a poor prognosis, and this association seemed<br/>to be strongest among young women with axillary<br/>lymph node negative breast cancer. Furthermore,<br/>an age of 80 years or more was a prognostic<br/>factor for poor survival, independent of stage<br/>at diagnosis and diagnostic period.<br/>The second paper evaluated pre-diagnostic<br/>levels of free triiodothyronine (free T3), free<br/>thyroxine (free T4), thyroid-stimulating hormone<br/>(TSH), and thyroid peroxidase antibodies<br/>(TPO-Ab) in relation to breast cancer subgroups<br/>and aggressiveness. The cohort used was<br/>the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, which is a<br/>population based cohort of 17,035 women recruited<br/>between 1991 and 1996. Our results<br/>indicated that high pre-diagnostic free T4 levels<br/>and low pre-diagnostic TPO-Ab levels were<br/>associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.<br/>This increase was mainly limited to a higher<br/>incidence rate of less aggressive forms of breast<br/>cancer.<br/>In the third paper we examined if the effect of<br/>thyroid function on breast cancer subgroups also<br/>influenced breast cancer survival. We displayed<br/>a positive association between free T4 levels and<br/>an improved breast cancer survival.<br/>The possible effect of genetic markers for free<br/>T4 and TPO-Ab on breast cancer risk was assessed<br/>in the fourth paper. We identified five<br/>markers that influenced the risk of breast cancer,<br/>of which rs2235544 (D101 gene) was the most<br/>interesting. This was the first study to suggest<br/>an association between thyroid-related genetic<br/>variants and breast cancer risk.<br/>The potential association between thyroid<br/>function and breast cancer is complex, as it exerts<br/>its effect through several pathways. This thesis<br/>has contributed to our understanding of how<br/>thyroid function influences breast cancer risk<br/>and breast cancer mortality. In addition, it has<br/>enlightened the importance of age at diagnosis<br/>as a prognostic factor.}},
author = {{Brandt, Jasmine}},
isbn = {{978-91-7619-569-7}},
keywords = {{Sköldkörtel; Thyroidea; Bröstcancer}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{01}},
publisher = {{Lund University: Faculty of Medicine}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Thyroid function and breast cancer. Risk and clinical outcome in relation to thyroid hormones (free T3/T4), TSH, TPO-Antibodies and genetic variants.}},
year = {{2018}},
}