What other studies might provide insights into the causes of breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a complex disease and requires that researchers from many different disciplines work together. We know that many different types of genes, not all fully understood, are involved. The most promising areas of research focus on genetic differences among individuals that might influence how they react to various factors including environmental chemicals. One important area of study is the biology of breast development, and how exposure to environmental chemicals and other factors in early childhood and adolescence may be related to the later development of breast cancer as an adult. An example of promising research underway is the Breast Cancer and Environment Research Centers (BCERC) project, which is investigating mammary gland development in animals and young girls to determine vulnerability to various factors that may influence breast cancer development in adulthood. The Centers’ varied research projects share a focus on how chemical, physical, and social factors in th
