Genetic polymorphisms in ER-alpha gene may play role in breast cancer etiology.

2003 NOV 17 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genetic polymorphisms in ER-alpha gene may play role in breast cancer etiology.

"Estrogen receptor (ER) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates estrogen actions in target tissues. Several common polymorphisms of the ER-alpha gene have been reported to be associated with alterations in receptor expression and function," scientists writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention report.

"We evaluated the hypothesis that genetic polymorphisms in the ER-alpha gene may be associated with breast cancer risk in a population-based case-control study conducted in urban Shanghai during …