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AT404's avatar
AT404
Member
8 years ago

Hormones and breast cancer

Most breast cancer appears to be hormone driven.  Also, most cancer appear in women after menopause or during menopause, at a time when hormones are diminishing.  My question.  If cancer is driven by hormones, who isn't it rife in younger women?  Why does it occur at a time when our hormones reduces?  It just doesn't make sense to me.  Does any one have an explanation? 

25 Replies

  • It is odd isn't it, the data says majority are over the age of 50, but I think thats off in this day and age...I've had 2 diagnosis one at 43 and one at 47. My Mum was 40, I have about 5 friends who were all in their early 40's. Majority of ladies that were doing treatment at the time I went were actually younger than me, was frightening!! so many women in their 30's. I also agree too, it is complicated as @Deanne says, and hormones is only part of some of the diagnosis. 
  • While the majority of breast cancer is hormone positive as you rightly say, @AT404, that does not necessarily mean that hormones are the cause, or should I say the only cause of this type of breast cancer. Cancer is a complicated disease that they have not been able to really find the exact cause of. I suspect that it is not just one cause but in fact many and possibly a little bit different for each of us. 

    Maybe it it is just more likely that older women will have whatever starts this terrible process occur and then any hormones (and as we know estrogen is still produced by women, even after menopause) are used by the cancer to grow.

    As @melclarity says, hormone positive breast cancer is certainly occurring in women before menopause in growing numbers too. I was only 47 at diagnosis for example. I hope one day soon that they can give us more answers. 

    Maybe your doctors can answer this with more clarity.
  • My breast surgeon simply says it's still a mystery as to what causes bc, but we are getting a lot better at treating it!  One thing that may be relevant is that breasts lose density as you age. Dense breasts may make it harder to detect anything (self examination or mammograms), particularly if it's minute, pre-cancerous or minute and slow growing. Whereas older women may pick it up more quickly. Current BCNA (2015) stats still state that the mean age for diagnosis is 60 years, that is half the number who get bc are under 60 and half are over.
  • Hmmm I actually don't know that I agree with that, I was pre menopause my first diagnosis, and everyone I've ever known which is alot unfortunately were also all pre menopause at diagnosis. I think that maybe it used to be that way. I think it's definitely younger than that overall. 
  • Perhaps it seems that more BC is occurring in older women but perhaps it is because older women fall into the category of those invited to attend Breast screen, hence more being discovered ?