1. ¹Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
2. ²Department of Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH, USA
3. ³Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
4. ⁴Magee Womens Hospital, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Correspondence: Dr R Troisi, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 6120 Executive Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20892-7246, USA. E-mail: troisir@mail.nih.gov

Received 14 May 2007; Revised 21 June 2007; Accepted 12 July 2007; Published online 7 August 2007.

Abstract

Among older mothers, preeclampsia in the first pregnancy was associated with a reduction in maternal breast cancer risk that was significantly more pronounced in women bearing male than female infants. Androgen concentrations in male, preeclamptic pregnancies were consistent with the hypothesis that elevated pregnancy androgens might mediate this apparent modifying effect of fetal gender.