Endocrine Disruptors, Obesity, and Breast Density Among Perimenopausal Women

This collaborative pilot study between Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center with The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center® and The Betty Torricelli Institute for Breast Care investigates the association of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with breast density among women undergoing mammographic screening. Washington, DC, and New Jersey have almost identical rates of breast cancer (~130 per 100,000 women) which are higher than the average U.S. population rates (122 per 100,000). Increased knowledge on the role of estrogen (and progesterone) in breast carcinogenesis suggests that environmental exposures that mimic estrogen effects in vivo, such as, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and other xenoestrogens, may be potential risk factors for breast cancer.