BACKGROUND: We investigated whether the free β-human chorionic gonadotropin (free β-hCG) would provide additional information to that provided by total hCG alone and thus be useful in future epidemiological studies relating hCG to maternal breast cancer risk. MATERIALS & METHODS: Cases (n = 159) and controls (n = 286) were a subset of our previous study within the Northern Sweden Maternity Cohort on total hCG during primiparous pregnancy and breast cancer risk. RESULTS: The associations between total hCG (hazard ratio: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.49-1.27), free β-hCG (hazard ratio: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.33-2.18) and maternal risk of breast cancer were very similar in all analyses and mutual adjustment for either one had minor effects on the risk estimates. CONCLUSION: In the absence of a reliable assay on intact hCG, total hCG alone can be used in epidemiological studies investigating hCG and breast cancer risk, as free β-hCG does not appear to provide any additional information.
BACKGROUND: We investigated whether the free β-human chorionic gonadotropin (free β-hCG) would provide additional information to that provided by total hCG alone and thus be useful in future epidemiological studies relating hCG to maternal breast cancer risk. MATERIALS & METHODS: Cases (n = 159) and controls (n = 286) were a subset of our previous study within the Northern Sweden Maternity Cohort on total hCG during primiparous pregnancy and breast cancer risk. RESULTS: The associations between total hCG (hazard ratio: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.49-1.27), free β-hCG (hazard ratio: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.33-2.18) and maternal risk of breast cancer were very similar in all analyses and mutual adjustment for either one had minor effects on the risk estimates. CONCLUSION: In the absence of a reliable assay on intact hCG, total hCG alone can be used in epidemiological studies investigating hCG and breast cancer risk, as free β-hCG does not appear to provide any additional information.
Authors: Renée T Fortner; Helena Schock; Rudolf Kaaks; Matti Lehtinen; Eero Pukkala; Hans-Åke Lakso; Minna Tanner; Raija Kallio; Heikki Joensuu; Jaana Korpela; Adetunji T Toriola; Göran Hallmans; Kjell Grankvist; Anne Zeleniuch-Jacquotte; Paolo Toniolo; Eva Lundin; Heljä-Marja Surcel Journal: Cancer Res Date: 2016-10-26 Impact factor: 12.701
Authors: Rosie Cornish; Anne Cathrine Staff; Andy Boyd; Debbie A Lawlor; Steinar Tretli; Gary Bradwin; Thomas F McElrath; Marianne Hyer; Robert N Hoover; Rebecca Troisi Journal: Cancer Causes Control Date: 2018-12-01 Impact factor: 2.506