A genetics-based study suggests a relationship between having migraines and an increased risk of developing breast cancer. The most affected subtype of breast cancer is hormone-dependent breast cancer.
Is there a link between migraines and breast cancer? Data is available but it is contradictory. This is why a team decided to look into the question using a particular analysis method called “Mendelian randomization”. This is a method that uses the geneticgenetic to study causal relationships. Their results are published in the journal BMC Cancer.
What type of migraine? What type of breast cancer?
The authors chose genetic indicators linked to migraine. These were identified from a previously carried out genome-wide study. The results show that migraine appears to be a risk factor for breast cancer in general. Specifically, women who have migraines are at increased risk of breast cancerbreast cancer called hormone-dependent, linked to an overexpression of receptors for estrogenestrogen. In contrast, for breast cancer without estrogen receptor overexpression, migraine in general did not show a notable influence. Interestingly, breast cancers without estrogen receptor overexpression were more common in women with migraines without aura.
Results to be confirmed
If these results are confirmed, they are interesting. Indeed, it could be possible to monitor women prone to migraines more closely, by offering them closer or earlier screening examinations than the rest of the population.
