Regular Article

British Journal of Cancer (2000) 82, 1867–1870. doi:10.1054/bjoc.1999.1082 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 4 May 2000

Ethnic differences in post-menopausal plasma oestrogen levels: high oestrone levels in Japanese-American women despite low weight

N M Probst-Hensch1,3, M C Pike1, R McKean-Cowdin1, F Z Stanczyk2, L N Kolonel4 and B E Henderson1

  1. 1Department of Preventive Medicine, USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
  2. 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
  3. 3Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  4. 4Cancer Research Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, 96816, USA

Correspondence: N M Probst-Hensch, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Steinengraben 49CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland

Received 23 June 1999; Revised 19 September 1999; Accepted 20 September 1999.

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Abstract

Breast cancer incidence in Japanese-American women is approaching that of US Whites. We investigated whether this shift is paralleled by similar post-menopausal plasma hormone levels in the two ethnic groups. We also included African-American and Latina women to further our understanding of possible ethnic differences in oestrogen metabolism. We measured androstenedione (A), oestrone (E1) and oestradiol (E2) in 30 Japanese-American, 39 non-Latina White ('White'), 66 African-American and 58 Latina women. The (age-adjusted) geometric mean E1 levels were 34 pg ml–1 in Japanese-Americans, 28 pg ml–1 in Whites, 35 pg ml–1 in African-Americans and 31 pg ml–1in Latinas. After adjustment for body mass index, Japanese-Americans had the highest mean E1 value of all groups and this was statistically significantly greater than the value for Whites (Pt-test= 0.05). The geometric mean A concentrations were also highest in Japanese-Americans. There was little ethnic difference in E2 levels. In conclusion, post-menopausal plasma oestrogen levels in Japanese-American women are at least as high as those in Whites. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign

Keywords:

oestrogen, androstenedione, Japanese-American, breast cancer

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