According to a new study published in the latest issue of Cancer magazine, breast cancer in postmenopausal women may be linked to higher hip bone density.
The study based on 9,941 postmenopausal women says higher hip bone mineral density may be a reflection of greater lifetime exposure to estrogen; and many breast cancers are estrogen-sensitive.
When the study started in 2002, the women were 63 years old, on average. They got a checkup that included a hip bone mineral density scan using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). They also completed questionnaires about their medical history and lifestyle every six months.
The women were followed for about eight years; during that time, 327 women were diagnosed with breast cancer.
Hip bone mineral density also helped predict breast cancer risk beyond the Gail risk model, which is for women who are at least 35 years old. The Gail risk model estimates a woman’s odds of developing breast cancer based on her current age, her age when she first menstruated, her age when she first gave birth, family history of breast cancer, past biopsies, and race.
It should be interesting to note that if bone mineral density drops too low, that brings different health risks like osteoporosis and fractures.
Cancer magazine is published by the American Cancer Society.
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