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Breast Cancer –. Is there a link to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals? Suzanne M. Snedeker, Ph.D. Assoc. Director for Translational Research Cornell University’s Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors (BCERF) sms31@cornell.edu http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/bcerf/.
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Breast Cancer – Is there a link to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals? Suzanne M. Snedeker, Ph.D. Assoc. Director for Translational Research Cornell University’s Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors (BCERF) sms31@cornell.edu http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/bcerf/
Contribution of established factors to breast cancer risk • National surveys of US white women • 40-50% of breast cancer risk • Age first birth / nulliparity • Family history of breast cancer • Higher income Ref: Madigan et al., J Natl Cancer Inst, 87:1681-5, 1987 • North Carolina Breast Cancer Study • 25% of breast cancer risk • Menarche before 14 yrs • First birth at or after 20 yrs / nulliparity • Family history of breast cancer • History of benign breast disease Ref: Rockhill et al., Am J Epidemiology, 147:826-33, 1998
Environmental links to breast cancer • Scandinavian Twin Study • 27% of risk, Heritable factors • 73% of risk, Environmental factors • 6% of risk, shared environment • 67% of risk, non-shared environment • Suggests that environmental factors play a major role in the causation of breast cancer Ref: Lichtenstein et al., New England J. of Medicine, 343:78-85, 2000
Ionizing Radiation Risks Related to Breast Cancer Close Relative Genetics Advancing Age Gender Age at First Birth Passive Smoke Early Menarche Late Menopause Breast Feeding Education & Income Overweight (post-menopause) Chemicals -Work -Home -Garden -Recreation Lack of Exercise Diet Alcohol Hormone Therapy Benign Breast Disease ???
Endocrine disrupting chemicals –Definitions • Endocrine Disruptor • Exogenous substance or mixture that alters the function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently causes adverse health effects in an intact organism, or its progeny, or (sub)populations • Potential Endocrine Disruptor • Exogenous substance or mixture that possess properties that might be expected to lead to endocrine disruption in an intact organism, or its progeny, or (sub)populations Ref: WHO/IPCS, Damstra et al. (eds), Global Assessment of the State-of-the Science of Endocrine Disruptors, 2002
Endocrine disrupting chemicals –Possible modes of action Breast cancer risk
Endocrine disrupting chemicals • Pharmaceuticals • Pesticides • Industrial Chemicals / Contaminants • Heavy Metals
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Ovarian hormones • Estrogen and progesterone have established roles in: • Normal mammary gland development in humans and rodent animal models • Regulation of breast cell proliferation during menstrual and estrous cycles • Humans – breast cell proliferation is the highest in luteal phase when progesterone levels highest; progestins do not “oppose” the action of estrogen in the breast Ref: Haslam et al., J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia, 7:93-105, 2002
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Ovarian hormones • In utero exposure to estrogen associated with higher breast cancer risk • Higher birth weight Ref: Michels, et al., Lancet, 348:1542-46, 1996 Kaijser et al., Epidemiology, 11:315-9, 2000 • Like-sexed female (dizygotic) twins Ref: Ekbom et al., J Natl Cancer Inst 88:71-6, 1997 Cerhan et al., J Natl Cancer Inst, 92:262-5, 2000 Hubinette et al., Int J Cancer 91:248-51, 2001 • Preeclampsia (lower estrogen, lower risk) Ref:Ekbom et al., Lancet, 340:1015-18, 1992 Ekbom et al., J Natl Cancer Inst 88:71-6, 1997
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Diethylstibesterol (DES) • DES–History of use in women • Pregnant women treated with DES to prevent miscarriages from 1940s to 1971 in US and 1978 in Europe; use continued in unindustrialized countries • Dosage typically 12,000 mg over 4 to 6 months • DES–History of use in livestock in US • Use as growth promoter in feed approved in 1954 • Ear implants approved in 1955 • Use in premixes revoked in 1972 because of detection of residues in edible tissues after slaughter • Use in livestock revoked by US Food and Drug Administration in 1978 / 1979 Ref: Calle et al., Am J Epidemiology, 144:645-52, 1996 DHEW, US FDA Judge Davidson brief, 1978 Huckell et al., Lancet, 348:331-1996
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Diethylstilbestrol (DES) • Human breast cancer risk – DES mothers First Author Year RR 95% CI Type of study Greenberg 1984 1.40 1.10-1.90 Incidence Colton 1993 1.35 1.05-1.74 Incidence Calle 1996 1.34 1.06-1.69 Mortality Titus-Ernstroff 2001 1.27 1.07-1.52 Incidence
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Diethylstilbestrol (DES) • Premenopausal breast cancer risk – DES Daughters First Author Year RR 95% CI Years Follow-up Huckell 1996 Reported 2 cases (28, 34 years of age) Hatch 1998 1.18 0.56 - 2.49 16 years Palmer 2002 1.4 0.7 - 2.6 19 years Palmer 2002 2.5 1.0 - 6.3 in women over 40 Palmer 2002 1.9 0.8 - 4.5 in ER positive tumors
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Post-menopausal hormone use • Effects on breast cancer risk First Author Year E RR 95% CI E+P RR 95% CI Stanford 1995 0.4 0.20-1.0 Ross 2000 1.06 0.97-1.15 1.24 1.07-1.45 Schairer 2000 1.20 1.00-1.4 1.40 1.10-1.80 Colditz* 2000 1.23 1.06-1.42 1.67 1.18-2.36 Chen 2002 1.17 0.85-1.60 1.49 1.04-2.12 WHI 2002 1.26 1.00-1.59 Porch 2002 0.96 0.65-1.42 1.37 1.05-1.78 Most studies based on 4-5 years current or recent use * Colditz-Risk at 70 years of age after 10 years of use from 50-60 yrs of age
Post-menopausal hormone use –Breast cancer risk, Nurses Health Study HRT, Estrogen + Prog., 10 yrs ERT, Estrogen unopposed, 10 yrs ERT, Estrogen unopposed, 5 yrs Non-users, solid line Ref: Colditz and Rosner, Am. J. Epid., 152:950-964, 2000
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Post-menopausal hormone use • Nurses Health Study Ref: Porch et al., Cancer Causes & Control, 13:847-854, 2002 PMH use in 17,835 women aged > 45 years, followed for 5.9 yrs PMH use E RR 95% CI* E+P RR 95% CI* 0.96 0.65-1.42 1.37 1.05-1.78 < 5 yrs 0.96 0.58-1.58 1.11 0.81-1.52 > 5 yrs 0.99 0.65-1.53 1.76 1.29-2.39 Progestin pattern <2 wks/month 1.04 0.74 -1.46 Continuous 1.82 1.34 -2.48 • Breast cancer risk increased in women who used: • Estrogen-progestin PMH therapy for 5 years or more • Continous rather than cyclic progestin combinations
Organochlorines and breast cancer risk –Strength of the evidence • DDE and DDT • Early descriptive studies and one case-control study suggested a positive association between blood / adipose tissue DDE levels and breast cancer risk • Majority of recent, well controlled cohort and case-controlled studies have not demonstrated that levels of DDE predict breast cancer risk in white, western, North American or European white women Ref: Snedeker, Environ. Health Perspec. 109(suppl 1):35-47, 2001 WHO/IPCS, Damstra et. al (ed) Global Assessment EDCs, 2002
DDT and DDE commentary –Possible explanations for lack of an association • Chemical formulation • In white western women, predominate exposure may not be to estrogenic o,p’-DDT found in the insecticide, but to the very weakly estrogenic, anti-androgenic breakdown product, p,p’-DDE found as residues in food • Heavily exposed populations not well studied • Predominate use of DDT in the US was on cotton in the south-eastern. One study of African Americans women from North Carolina suggests positive association of DDE and breast cancer risk • Few studies of breast cancer risk in countries that currently use DDT for malaria control • Critical windows of exposure need evaluation • Little information on whether exposure to DDT during early breast development affects breast cancer risk
Organochlorines and breast cancer risk–Dieldrin • Breast cancer risk, equivocal evidence • Danish studies, Copenhagen City Heart Study • 1) Serum dieldrin associated with breast cancer risk OR 2.05, 95%CI 1.17-3.57 Ref: Høyer et al., Lancet, 352, 1816-20,1998 • 2) Serum dieldrin, p53 mutation status & breast cancer risk OR 3.53, 05% CI 0.70-15.79 Ref: Høyer et al., Breast Cancer Res Treat, 71:59-65, 2002 • American studies,no significant association OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.3-1.3, Cohort of Missouri women Ref: Dorgan et al., Cancer Causes & Control 10:1-11, 1999 OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.60-2.72, Long Island Breast Cancer Study Ref: Gammon et al., Cancer Epidem Biomarkers Prevention 11:686-697, 2002
Organochlorines and breast cancer risk–Dieldrin • Breast cancer survival rates and dieldrin levels • Danish studies,Copenhagen City Heart Study • 1) Breast cancer survival and serum dieldrin RR 2.78, 95% CI 1.38-5.59 Higher rate of death associated with highest blood dieldrin levels Ref: Høyer et al., J Clin Epidemiology, 53:323-330, 2000 • 2) Investigated influence of Estrogen Receptor (ER) status and serum dieldrin on breast cancer survival ER+ RR 2.2, 95% CI 0.9-5.4 ER- RR 1.8, 95% CI 0.3-5.5 Risk of dying not significantly elevated in those with higher serum dieldrin levels, regardless of ER status Ref: Høyer et al., BMC Cancer 1:8, 2001 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/1/8
Organochlorines and breast cancer risk–Industrial chemicals • Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) • Little evidence of increased breast cancer risk • Polymorphisms, Gene-environment interaction • Higher BC risk in sub-group of white American women with elevated PCB levels AND variant in CYP1A1 Ref: Moysich et al., Cancer Ep. Biomarkers Prev. 8:414-4, 1999 • Individual PCB congeners • Difficult to evaluate; estrogenic congeners don’t predominate • Some evidence of increased BC risk with congeners that bind to Ah receptor (mono-ortho-substituted) Ref: Demers et al., Am J. Epidemiology, 155:629-35, 2002 • Possible association with poorer prognosis • Association with larger, poorer grade breast tumors Ref: Woolcott, et al., Cancer Causes Control,12:395-404, 2001
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Industrial chemicals • Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDP) • Uses - Flame retardant in plastics, textiles, carpets and furniture foam • Production - 40,000 tons / yr globally (1990) • Dietary intake - Nordic areas, 0.2-0.7 micrograms/day • Ecology • Detected in marine life globally • Evidence of human breast milk contamination • Detected in air, drinking water, as food residues Refs: Darnerund et al, Environ Health Perspect 109(suppl 1):49-68, 2001 Christensen and Platz, J Environ Monit 3:543-7, 2001 She et al., Chemosphere 46:697-707, 2002 McDonald, Chemosphere 46:745-55, 2002 Wenning, Chemosphere 46:779-96, 2002
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Industrial chemicals • Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDP) • Evidence of estrogenicity • Stimulates ER-dependent gene expression in human T47D breast cancer cells • Induces cell proliferation in estrogen-dependent MCF-7 breast tumor cell line • Estrogenicity pf PBDEs decreased as bromination increased • PBDPs agonists for both ER-a and ER-b Refs: Samuelsen et al., Cell Biol Toxicol 17:139-51, 2001 Meerts et al., Environ Health Perspect 109:399-407, 2001
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Occupational exposures ED Chemical Probable exposure % BC Cases % Controls Nonylphenol 21.5 21.4 Butylbenzylphthalate (BBP) 10.0 13.2 BHA 7.3 9.6 Bisphenol A 9.6 11.6 No significant increases in breast cancer risk • PCBs, OR = 3.2, 95% CI 0.8-12.2 • 4-octylphenol, OR = 2.9, 95% CI 0.8-10.8 Ref: Aschengrau et al., Am. J. Ind. Med., 34:6-14, 1998
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Household levels, Cape Cod study Silent Spring Institute Developed methodology to assess levels of pesticides,bisphenol A, alkylphenols, PAHs, and PCBs in air and dust of residences (microgram/g dust) Chemical No Detect/No Anal Range Mean DEHP 6/6 69.4-524.0 315.0 BBP 6/6 12.1-524 184.0 Carbaryl 2/6 27.2-140 83.6 Chlorpyrifos 3/6 1.26-89.5 30.7 Bisphenol A 3/6 0.25-0.48 0.4 4-Nonylphenol 4/6 2.3-7.82 4.3 Benzo(a)pryrene 5/6 0.45-10.6 2.9 Ref: Rudel et. al., J. Air & Waste Mang. Assoc., 51: 499-513, 2001
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Effects on early breast development • Premature Thelarche in Puerto Rico (PR) • Over 5,000 cases of premature thelarche in the last 30 years (breast development < 8 yrs of age) • Suspect list: • Waste stream from OCA factories • Hormones residues in food • Ovarian cysts • Use of soy formula • DEHP (phthalate) Ref: Freni-Titulear et al., Am. J. Dis. Children, 140:1263-67, 1986; Colon et al., Environmental Health Perspectives, 108:895-900, 2000
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Phthalates and Premature Thelarche in Puerto Rican Girls Average conc. in serum, ppb Phthalate esters Ref: Colon et al., Environ Health Perspect, 108:895-900, 2000
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Premature thelarche and breast cancer risk • More questions than answers • Does occurrence of premature thelarche in girls affect the window of susceptibility of the developing breast to chemical carcinogens? • Do endocrine disrupting chemicals have a role in influencing early breast development? • Research needs • Linkage studies needed between girls with premature thelarche and incidence of breast cancer • Studies needed to assess whether endocrine disrupting chemicals can influence the onset of breast development
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Industrial contaminants • Dioxins • Seveso Italy, 1976 industrial accident • Breast cancer mortality females,1976-86 RR 0.64, 95%CI 0.4 - 0.9(less than expected) Ref: Bertazzi et al., Am J Epidemiology, 129:1187-1200, 1989 • Seveso Women’s Health Study -Cohort of 981 women, infants to 40 yrsof age in 1976, resided in area of highest TCDD exposure -Preliminary data; those with highest exposures had higher breast cancer risk (15 cases) Ref: Warner et al., Environ Health Perspect 110:625-628, 2002
Endocrine disrupting chemicals-Cellular targets for carcinogens • Terminal End Bud (TEB) • Alveolar Buds Mammary gland structures in the 35-day old CD-1 female mouse Photo: Snedeker and DiAugustine, 1988
Endocrine disrupting chemicals-Understanding susceptibility Human breast development E2 Growth Hormone IGF Ref: Russo and Russo, Oncology Research, 11:169-178, 1999
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals -Influencing the window of susceptibility • Possible ways in utero or pubertal exposures to EDCs may affect breast cancer risk: • Affecting the expression of hormone or growth factor receptors, and hormone responsiveness of the mammary gland • Lengthening the window of susceptibility by affecting mammary gland development • Persistence of terminal end buds • Influencing differentiation
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals -Influencing the window of susceptibility • Dioxin - TCDD; effects on mammary gland • TCDD affects ER- a expression • Gestational-lactation exposure to TCDD in rats causes an increase in ER-a expression levels and impaired differentiation in mammary glands of female pups Ref: Lewis et al., Toxicological Sciences 62:46-53, 2001 • TCDD affects cancer susceptibility • Gestational exposure to TCDD causes persistency of TEB structures in female pups, delayed vaginal opening, and an increase in chemically induced (DMBA) mammary adenocarcinomas Ref: Brown et al., Carcinogenesis, 19:1623-1629, 1998 • TCDD permanently affects mammary gland development • Normal mammary gland transplanted into fat pads of TCDD treated female rats grows at a slower rate and appeared underdeveloped; TCDD may affect development of stroma Ref: Fenton et al., Toxicological Sciences, 67:63-74, 2002
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Heavy metals • Cadmium (Cd), possible estrogenic effects • Interacts with estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-a) MCF-7 cells • Cd binds to ER-a, and blocks binding of estradiol to ER-a • Interacts with hormone binding domain of ER-a • COS-1 cells cotransfected with GAL-ER and GAL4 reporter gene • Treatment with either Cd or estradiol increased reporter gene activity four-fold • ER-a mutants used to identify interaction sites of Cd with ER-a hormone binding domain • In vivo effect on rodent mammary gland • Promotes growth, differentiation and side branching of MG in ovariectomized animal • In utero exposure; earlier onset of puberty; altered MG development Ref: Garcia-Morales et al., J Biol Chem 269:16896-901, 1994 Stocia et al., Molecular Endocrinology, 14:545-553, 2000 Maritin, MB, abstract, e_hormone 2001, Tulane University
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Heavy metals • Arsenite, possible estrogenic effects • Interacts with estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-a) MCF-7 breast cancer cells treated with arsenite • Decreased level of ER-a and ER-a mRNA • Increased concentration of progesterone receptor (PR) • Arsenite-induced increase in PR blocked by antiestrogens • Arsenite blocked binding of estradiol to ER-a • Stimulates proliferation in MCF-7 cells • Arsenite stimulated proliferation of MCF-7 cells in estrogen depleted medium; effect blocked by antiestrogens • Interacts with hormone binding domain of ER-a • COS-1 cells transfected with GAL-ER and CAT reporter • Arsenite or estradiol treatment induced CAT activity • ER-a mutants used to identify interaction sites of arsenite with ER-a hormone binding domain Ref: Stocia et al., Endocrinology, 141:3595-3602, 2000
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Current challenges • Complexity of breast cancer • Long latency • Many established risk factors • Risk influenced by interaction of genetic alterations, susceptibility and proliferative state
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Current challenges • Exposure issues • Difficult to characterize and measure low-level exposures to multiple chemicals from the distant past • Few chemicals have validated biomarkers • Levels of exposure to EDCs at critical periods of breast development (in utero through puberty) is lacking • Exposures to EDCs in the home environment not well characterized
Endocrine disrupting chemicals–Current challenges • Modeling issues • May be difficult to evaluate effects of low-level exposures to multiple chemicals using epidemiology • Animal modeling should include promotional models to assess effects of EDCs that may influence growth of established hormone-dependent tumors • Estrogenicity should not be the sole endpoint for EDC breast cancer risk evaluation; other hormones, growth factor agonists, and chemicals that affect mammary gland development should be evaluated