1
|
Coelingh Bennink HJT, Stanczyk FZ. Progesterone and not estrogens or androgens causes breast cancer. Climacteric 2024; 27:217-222. [PMID: 38197401 DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2023.2292073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | - F Z Stanczyk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern CA, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gompel A, Seifert-Klauss V, Simon JA, Prior JC. Lack of evidence that progesterone in ovulatory cycles causes breast cancer. Climacteric 2023; 26:634-637. [PMID: 37671636 DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2023.2249813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
A recent Perspective article asserted that progesterone secretion during ovulatory cycles is the cause of breast cancer. However, we challenge most of the evidence developed in this publication. First, there is a lack of evidence that progesterone is mutagenic for breast cells. Cause of a cancer should mean initiation by mutation, as opposed to promotion. Second, subclinical ovulatory disturbances occur rather frequently in normal-length menstrual cycles. Third, the authors attribute a potential carcinogenic effect to progesterone secreted during menstrual cycles but not to progesterone during pregnancy. They did not discuss breast cancer evidence from progesterone/progestin therapeutics. They argue that in genetic primary amenorrhea, a hypothetic lower risk of breast cancer could be due to the lack of progesterone, despite the progesterone/progestin in hormone replacements these women receive. Fourth, they advocate a regulatory effect of progesterone on several genes potentially involved in cancer genesis. In particular, they attribute a lower risk of breast cancer in women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome to a defect in the progesterone-stimulated Wnt4 gene. However, this defect is only present in a small subset. Thus, the postulated progesterone breast cancer risk is unconvincing, which we discuss point by point in this commentary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Gompel
- Gynecology-Endocrinology, Paris-Cité University, Paris, France
| | | | - J A Simon
- IntimMedicine Specialists, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - J C Prior
- Endocrinology & Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Coelingh Bennink HJT, Schultz IJ, Schmidt M, Jordan VC, Briggs P, Egberts JFM, Gemzell-Danielsson K, Kiesel L, Kluivers K, Krijgh J, Simoncini T, Stanczyk FZ, Langer RD. Progesterone from ovulatory menstrual cycles is an important cause of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2023; 25:60. [PMID: 37254150 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01661-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many factors, including reproductive hormones, have been linked to a woman's risk of developing breast cancer (BC). We reviewed the literature regarding the relationship between ovulatory menstrual cycles (MCs) and BC risk. Physiological variations in the frequency of MCs and interference with MCs through genetic variations, pathological conditions and or pharmaceutical interventions revealed a strong link between BC risk and the lifetime number of MCs. A substantial reduction in BC risk is observed in situations without MCs. In genetic or transgender situations with normal female breasts and estrogens, but no progesterone (P4), the incidence of BC is very low, suggesting an essential role of P4. During the MC, P4 has a strong proliferative effect on normal breast epithelium, whereas estradiol (E2) has only a minimal effect. The origin of BC has been strongly linked to proliferation associated DNA replication errors, and the repeated stimulation of the breast epithelium by P4 with each MC is likely to impact the epithelial mutational burden. Long-lived cells, such as stem cells, present in the breast epithelium, can carry mutations forward for an extended period of time, and studies show that breast tumors tend to take decades to develop before detection. We therefore postulate that P4 is an important factor in a woman's lifetime risk of developing BC, and that breast tumors arising during hormonal contraception or after menopause, with or without menopausal hormone therapy, are the consequence of the outgrowth of pre-existing neoplastic lesions, eventually stimulated by estrogens and some progestins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Iman J Schultz
- Pantarhei Bioscience BV, P.O. Box 464, 3700 AL, Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Marcus Schmidt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - V Craig Jordan
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Paula Briggs
- Sexual and Reproductive Health, Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | | | | | - Ludwig Kiesel
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Kirsten Kluivers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Krijgh
- Pantarhei Bioscience BV, P.O. Box 464, 3700 AL, Zeist, The Netherlands
| | - Tommaso Simoncini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Frank Z Stanczyk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Robert D Langer
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|