What Are Estrogen Receptors?
We hear the term “estrogen receptors” quite often these days with regard to breast and certain other cancers. But what exactly are estrogen receptors and what role do they play in breast cancer? Let’s take a closer look. Estrogen is a naturally occurring female reproductive hormone. Before the body can use estrogen, it must bind to proteins called estrogen receptors. Picture it this way: your body produces the estrogen (or perhaps you take it in hormone replacement drugs) and it marches up to a door. That door would be locked and entry barred without the estrogen receptors. They act like locks, matching up with the estrogen “key” to unlock the door and allow the estrogen to function in your body. One of the risk factors for breast cancer is believed to be excess exposure to estrogen. That’s why women who have short menstrual cycles, haven’t had children, started menstruating early or go through menopause late are considered at higher risk of breast cancer. Those factors increase lifelo
