Pregnancy Hormone May Prevent Breast Cancer

A pregnancy hormone shows promise for preventing breast cancer in women, according to researchers in Philadelphia.

In animal studies, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) activated tumor suppressor genes, arrested the growth of cancer cells and induced other genetic changes that show an anti-cancer effect, says Irma H. ​​Russo, MD, Director of Molecular Endocrinology Fox Chase Cancer Center.

"Our goal is to use it as a preventive treatment of breast cancer in women, such as tamoxifen," he says WebMD. But in contrast to tamoxifen, "HCG is normally produced by the body and has no toxic effects."

Tamoxifen, which has been used to prevent breast cancer has been associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and blood clots in connection.

Early pregnancy reduces the risk of breast cancer

Studies show that a woman who becomes pregnant before 20 Age halved the risk of breast cancer.

"During the course of the years the link between children with cancer and protection, especially if you have children, if you're young, it has been very strong," says Russo.

"We found that rats with drugs that cause the cancer when they are young, virgin treated, and in puberty develop breast cancer," he said. "But if you give the same drug after pregnancy, the animals do not suffer from cancer."

There is a period of risk of developing breast cancer during early puberty when the ovaries start to work and begin to develop breasts. "We're trying to manipulate [the risk period] and wanted to eliminate," says Russo.

"We knew that pregnancy, she" said Russo, "but the question is: Can we do with hormones?"

Hormones to prevent breast cancer in rats

In a series of experiments, the researchers gave mice, puberty induce a cancer-causing drug breast tumors. She then gave the rats two weeks after the HCG supplements or a combination of estrogen and progestin hormones. The researchers compared the results with virgin and pregnant rats.

The study was presented by Russo and colleagues at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The samples of breast tissue before and after the animals have shown that the hormone HCG, the number of cells were reduced shared. The treatment also stimulates the production of tumor-suppressor genes and decreased the number of cells that have estrogen receptors - needed to grow the majority of breast cancer cells to help. Has all these are signs that HCG was working as a cancer treatment, said Russo.

They checked to determine which genes are activated in breast tissue in rats during pregnancy and compared these data with the changes after treatment with HCG.

In comparison to the untreated virgins, "we have a complete change in the genetic signature of two pregnant rats, rats treated with HCG," he said.

"A pregnancy alters the genetic signature of life. And what HCG modifies the genetic signature of life."

There was no change in rats treated with estrogen and progestin.

Other researchers are optimistic

Russo sees a future day when women can be at high risk for breast cancer for a short time during puberty, HCG, they changed their genetic signature in order to ensure permanent protection.

Timothy Richard Rebbeck, PhD, an expert in molecular epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia says the study "reflect the work of the Russian laboratory, which is great."

"The idea of ​​a well-established risk factor such as pregnancy, which is not really changeable and take it to the next step and do the same to prevent breast cancer, very innovative," he told WebMD.

However, other studies are needed to exclude other factors that can work with HCG to determine exert anti-tumor effect, he said.