Plasma homocysteine as a metabolic risk factor for breast cancer: findings from a case-control study in Taiwan
Plasma homocysteine as a metabolic risk factor for breast cancer: findings from a case-control study in Taiwan
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DOI：
10.1007/s10549-006-9278-9
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发表时间：
2007-01-01
影响因子：
3.8
通讯作者：
Sun, Chien-An
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chou, Yu-Ching;Lee, Meei-Shyuan;Sun, Chien-An
同型半胱氨酸（Hcy）是甲硫氨酸代谢的中间产物，血浆Hcy升高是一碳代谢综合途径失衡的敏感生物标志物。最近，人们对总Hcy、叶酸和癌症之间的潜在联系感兴趣。在这项研究中，血浆同型半胱氨酸水平与乳腺癌的风险进行了调查。对146例经组织学确诊的新诊断乳腺癌患者和285例年龄匹配的健康体检妇女进行问卷调查和治疗前血样采集。采用酶转化免疫法和放射分析法分别测定血浆Hcy和叶酸水平。膳食摄入的B族维生素估计使用半定量饮食问卷。采用Logistic回归分析计算比值比（OR）及其95%置信区间（CI）。血浆Hcy水平升高与乳腺癌风险增加显著相关（最高三分位数与最低三分位数相比，校正OR = 2.89，95%CI = 1.70-4.92）。此外，在绝经前和绝经后妇女中观察到血浆同型半胱氨酸水平升高时乳腺癌风险增加的相似模式。这种一致的模式并没有因B族维生素的饮食摄入水平而有实质性的差异。目前的研究结果似乎表明，血浆同型半胱氨酸水平可能是乳腺癌的代谢危险因素。未来的研究需要证明因果关系，并提供对同型半胱氨酸在乳腺肿瘤发生的作用机制的见解。
Homocysteine (Hcy) is an intermediary product in methionine metabolism and an elevation in plasma Hcy is a sensitive biomarker for an imbalance in the integrated pathways of one-carbon metabolism. More recently, there has been interest in the potential links between total Hcy, folate and cancer. In this study, the association of plasma Hcy levels with the breast cancer risk was investigated. Questionnaire information and blood samples were taken before treatment from 146 women with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed breast cancer and 285 age-matched control women who were admitted for health examination. Plasma levels of Hcy and folate were measured by enzyme conversion immunoassay and radioassay, respectively. Dietary intake of B-group vitamins was estimated using a semi-quantitative dietary questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Elevated plasma Hcy levels were significantly linked to increased risk of breast cancer (adjusted OR = 2.89, 95% CI = 1.70-4.92 for the highest tertile as compared with the lowest tertile). Moreover, a similar pattern of enhanced breast cancer risk at higher plasma Hcy levels was observed in both pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. And this consistent pattern did not differ substantially by level of dietary intake of B-group vitamins. The current study results seem to suggest a possibility that the plasma Hcy levels could be a metabolic risk factor for breast cancer. Future studies are needed to prove causality and provide insight on the mechanism of action of Hcy in breast tumorigenesis.