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Why some women enter menopause early — and how that could affect their cancer risk

Genomic analysis reveals a host of genetic variants that affect how quickly fertility ends, among them one that reduces reproductive span by six years.
  1. Heidi Ledford
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Two studies of more than 100,000 women have revealed a suite of genes that help to regulate when a person enters menopause and thus the length of their reproductive span1,2. Some of the genes could also influence the risk of cancer.

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Nature 633, 503-504 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02905-5

Editor’s note: Nature recognizes that transgender men and non-binary people might undergo menopause. This story uses the term ‘women’ to reflect how participants are reported in the featured studies.

References

  1. Stankovic, S. et al. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07931-x (2024).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Oddsson, A. et al. Nature Genet. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-024-01885-6 (2024).

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