Research Finds Important Breast Cancer Link in Hispanic Women

03/04/2015 03:11AM | 8634 views

Hispanic women typically have fewer incidences of breast cancer when compared to non-Hispanic white women; however, when they are diagnosed with breast cancer, it is usually an aggressive form or in the advanced stages of disease. Now, researchers have found a link among Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women when it comes to breast cancer and obesity.

The link between obesity and breast cancer in women has been documented before, but was only well established in non-Hispanic white women. Now, experts from the Cancer Prevention Institute of California and those from the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey have compiled evidence the link also exists in postmenopausal Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women.

The latest data comes from two separate studies, the first headed up by Esther M. John, PhD, MSPH, from the Cancer Prevention Institute of California. John and her team found healthy-weight Hispanic women who gain pounds through adulthood have increased risk for estrogen receptor (ER) negative and progesterone receptor (PR) positive tumors after menopause.

“We saw that when Hispanic women became overweight or obese, it increased risk of ER and PR positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. We’ve known this for a long time for white women, but now we are seeing this also in Hispanic women,” John said in a press release, indicating the research helps fill in the gaps when it comes to Hispanics and breast cancer.

Earlier, smaller studies investigating obesity and breast cancer in Hispanic women were considered inconclusive; this is the first study to solidify the link.

“Breast cancer appears to have different risk factors in younger versus older women but by far, breast cancer is more common among postmenopausal women,” said John. “This has huge implications for not just Hispanics but all women. We cannot change genetics or family history, but we can do something about obesity. You can eat less, choose healthier foods and do more physical activity. It may not that easy but it’s possible. And it’s important for not just lowering breast cancer risk but for many other diseases.”

The second research project came from Elisa V. Bandera, MD, PhD, at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Bandera’s study of non-Hispanic black women showed similar results to the study on Hispanic women. Excess weight was linked with a 31 percent increased of ER positive tumors in postmenopausal non-Hispanic black women.

“We know that breast cancer has several subtypes and there is growing evidence that these subtypes have different risk factors. The distribution of these subtypes and risk factors are different for African Americans and Hispanics compared to white women,” Bandera said. “Our findings show that, similar to white women, African American postmenopausal women can reduce their risk of ER positive breast cancer by maintaining a healthy weight. Yet one study is not enough, we need to know more about what African American women can do to prevent and survive breast cancers of all types, which are often aggressive and deadly.”

Though the findings suggest postmenopausal Hispanic women should be aware of their risk for breast cancer due to the high rate of obesity in the population, other research indicate Hispanic women may have a natural resistance to the development of this disease. Data from University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) research recently suggested women of Latin American descent, particularly those with indigenous ancestry, may carry a genetic variant that protects them from breast cancer.