Cadmium levels in human breast tissue and estradiol serum levels: Is there a connection?

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd), one of the most abundant environmental pollutants, is considered to have endocrine disrupting properties. However, data on the dose-response relationship between Cd dose and levels of hormones have been insufficiently studied, especially in human data sets. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the possibility of analyzing data obtained from a case- control study in female patients with benign/malignant breast tumors, using the Benchmark dose (BMD) concept. The collected data on Cd levels in breast tissue and estrogen serum levels were processed in PROAST software using different variables. The dose-response relationship between the internal dose of Cd and estradiol levels in the serum was investigated and BMD intervals were calculated. The dose-response relationship between the Cd concentration in breast tissue and the estradiol serum level was shown, indicating lower estradiol serum levels as a consequence of higher Cd concentrations in breast tissue. As one of the few studies analyzing human data using the BMD approach, these findings could have a pivotal role in dose response analysis of data collected from human studies.

Kadmijum (Cd), jedan od najzastupljenijih zagađivača životne sredine, dokazan je endokrini ometač. Međutim, podaci o postojanju odnosa između doze Cd i odgovora-nivoa hormona nisu dovoljno istraženi, posebno podaci sakupljeni iz studija na ljudima. Stoga je cilj ove studije bio da se utvrdi mogućnost analize podataka dobijenih iz studije slučaja-kontrole kod pacijentkinja sa benignim/malignim tumorom dojke, primenom koncepta Benčmark doze (BMD). Prikupljeni podaci o nivoima Cd u tkivu dojke i serumskim nivoima estrogena obrađeni su u PROAST softveru uz korišćenje različitih varijabli. Ispitivan je odnos doza-odgovor između unutrašnje doze Cd (koncentracije u tkivu dojke) i estradiola u serumu i izračunati BMD intervali. Utvrđeno je postojanje odnosa između koncentracije Cd u tkivu dojke i nivoa estradiola u serumu koje ukazuje na niže nivoe estradiola u serumu kao posledica veće koncentracije Cd u tkivu dojke. Kao jedno od retkih istraživanja ovog tipa, dobijeni rezultati mogli bi predstavljati početak otkrivanja mogućnosti analize podataka prikupljenih u studijama na ljudima primenom BMD pristupa.