Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Associations of alcohol, height, and reproductive factors with serum hormone concentrations in postmenopausal Japanese women

  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We measured serum levels of estradiol (E2), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), progesterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in 61 postmenopausal women drawn from female residents in a community in Japan to evaluate the relationships between these hormone levels and potential breast cancer risk factors. The information on reproductive history, body size, alcohol use, and physical activity was obtained by means of a self-administered questionnaire. There was a significant trend in increasing E2 level with increasing height after taking account of age and body mass index (BMI) (p for trend = 0.04). BMI was inversely associated with SHBG level after controlling for age (p for trend = 0.01). Decreasing progesterone with increasing BMI was observed after controlling age and history of hysterectomy (P=0.05). Alcohol consumption was positively associated with E2 level and there was a strong linear trend after controlling for age, height, and BMI (p for trend=0.001). Trend for increasing DHEAS with alcohol consumption was also statistically significant after controlling for age and history of hysterectomy (p for trend=0.01). Reproductive factors as well as physical activity were not related to any of the hormone levels.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bernstein L, Ross RK: Endogenous hormones and breast cancer risk. Epidemiol Review 15: 48-65, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  2. Pasqualini JR, Chetvite G, Nguyen B-L, Maloche C, Delalonde L, Talbi M, Feinstein M-C, Blacker C, Bottella J, Paris J: Estrone sulfate-sulfatase and 17 β-hydroxysteroid activities: A hypothesis for their role in the evolution of human breast cancer from hormone-dependence to hormone-independence. J Steroid Biochem Molec Biol 53: 407-412, 1995

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Langley WS, Hammond GL, Bardsley A, Sellwood RA, Anderson DC: Serum steroid binding proteins and the bioavailability of estradiol in relation to breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 75: 823-829, 1985

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bennett IC, McCaffrey JF, McCaffrey E, Wyatt B: Serum oestradiol in women with and without breast disease. Br J Cancer 61: 142-146, 1990

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Key TJA, Pike MC: The role of oestrogens and progestagens in the epidemiology and prevention of breast cancer. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol 24: 29-43, 1988

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Kavale G: Reproductive factors in breast cancer epidemiology. Acta Oncol 31: 187-119, 1992

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Cauley JA, Gutai JP, Kuller LH, LeDonne D, Powell JG: The epidemiology of serum sex hormones in postmenopausal women. Am J Epidemiol 129: 1120-1131, 1989

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hankinson SE, Colditz GA, Hunter DJ, Manson JE, Willet WC, Stampfer MJ, Longcope C, Speizer FE: Reproductive factors and family history of breast cancer in relation to plasma estrogen and prolactin levels in postmenopausal women in the Nurses' Health Study (United States). Cancer Causes Control 6: 217-224, 1995

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ingram, DM, Nottage EM, Willcox DL, Roberts A: Oestrogen binding and risk factors for breast cancer. Br J Cancer 61: 303-307, 1990

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hutter DJ, Willet WC: Diet, body build, and breast cancer. Annu Rev Nutr 14: 393-418, 1994

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Rosenberg L, Metzger LS, Palmer JR: Alcohol consumption and risk of breast cancer: A review of the epidemiologic evidence. Epidemiol Rev 15: 133-144, 1993

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Bernstein L, Henderson BE, Hanisch R, Sullivan-Hally J, Ross RK: Physical exercise and reduced risk of breast cancer in young women. J Natl Cancer Inst 86: 1403-1408, 1994

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Dorgan JF, Brown C, Barrett M, Splansky GL, Kreger BE, Agostino RB, Albanes D, Schatzkin A: Physical activity and risk of breast cancer in the Framingham Heart Study. Am J Epidemiol 139: 662-669, 1994

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Shimizu H: A Basic Report on Takayama Study. Department of Public Health, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  15. Numajiri K: Energy Metabolism of the Physical Activity. Research Institute of Labour Science, Tokyo, Japan, 1979, pp 238-290

    Google Scholar 

  16. Yanagibori RK, Aoki K, Suzuki Y, Gunji A: Evaluation of methods for measuring daily physical activity in terms of energy expenditure. Jpn J Public Health 38: 483-491, 1991

    Google Scholar 

  17. Hankinson SE, Willett WC, Manson JE, Hunter DJ, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, Longcope C, Speizer FE: Alcohol, height, and adiposity in relation to estrogen and prolactin levels in postmenopausal women. J Natl Cancer Inst 87: 1297-1302, 1995

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Vermeulen A, Verdonck L: Factors affecting sex hormone levels in postmenopausal women. J Steroid Biochem 11: 899-904, 1979

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Frumar AM, Meldrum DR, Geola F, Shamonki IM, Tataryn IV, Deftos LJ, Judd HL: Relationship of fasting urinary calcium to circulating estrogen and body weight in postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol 50: 70-75, 1980

    Google Scholar 

  20. Meldrum DR, Davidson BT, Tataryn IV, Judd HL: Changes in circulating steroids with aging in postmenopausal women. Obstet Gynecol 57: 624-628, 1981

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Dubin N, Pasternak BS, Strax P: Epidemiology of breast cancer in a screened population. Cancer Detect Prev 7: 87-102, 1984

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Vatten LJ, Kvinnsland S: Body height and risk of breast cancer. Acta Oncol 31: 881-885, 1990

    Google Scholar 

  23. Wakai K, Ohno Y, Watanabe S, Sakamoto G, Kasumi F, Suzuki S, Kubo-Fujiwara N: Risk factors for breast cancer among Japanese women in Tokyo: A case-control study. J Epidemiol 4: 65-71, 1994

    Google Scholar 

  24. Moore JW, Key TJA, Bulbrook RD, Clark GMG, Allen DS, Wang DY, Pike MC: Sex hormone binding globulin and risk factors for breast cancer in a population of normal women who had never used exogenous sex hormones. Br J Cancer 56: 661-666, 1987

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sherman BM, Korenman SG: Measurement of serum LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone in disorders of the human menstrual cycle: The inadequate luteal phase. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 39: 145-149, 1974

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Staffa JA, Newschaffer CJ, Jones JK, Miller V: Progestins and breast cancer: An epidemiologic review. Fertil Steril 57: 473-491, 1992

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Gavaler JS, Deal SR, Van Thiel DH, Arria A, Allan NJ: Alcohol and estrogen levels in postmenopausal women: The spectrum of effect. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 17: 786-790, 1993

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. London S, Willett W, Longcope C, McKinlay S: Alcohol and other dietary factors in relation to serum hormone concentrations in women at climacteric. Am J Clin Nutr 53: 166-171, 1991

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Reichman ME, Judd JT, Longcope C, Schatzkin A, Clevidence BA, Nair PP, Campbell WS, Taylor PR: Effects of alcohol consumption on plasma and urinary hormone concentrations in premenopausal women. J Natl Cancer Inst 85: 722-727, 1993

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Gordon GB, Bush TL, Helzlsouer KJ, Miller SR, Comstock GW: Relationship of serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate to the risk of developing postmenopausal breast cancer. Cancer Res 50: 3859-3862, 1990

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Ebeling P, Koivisto VA: Physiological importance of dehydroepiandrosterone. Lancet 343: 1479-1481, 1994

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan

    Chisato Nagata, Naoyoshi Takatsuka & Hiroyuki Shimizu

  2. Urban Environment & Health Project, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan

    Michinori Kabuto

Authors
  1. Chisato Nagata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michinori Kabuto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Naoyoshi Takatsuka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hiroyuki Shimizu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nagata, C., Kabuto, M., Takatsuka, N. et al. Associations of alcohol, height, and reproductive factors with serum hormone concentrations in postmenopausal Japanese women. Breast Cancer Res Treat 44, 235–241 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005831220205

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005831220205

Search

Navigation