Insulin resistance and familial history of breast cancer

Objective Insulin resistance has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The main genes involved in low- to moderate-risk familial breast cancer remain to be identified. To test the hypothesis that there may be a genetic influence in insulin resistance, the present study analyzed the association of a familial history of breast cancer (low-tomoderate risk, defined as having a positive familial history of breast cancer) with insulin resistance. Patients and method We studied 846 healthy premenopausal women with no central obesity (NCO) (waist circumference Results NCO women with a positive familial history for breast cancer showed a significantly higher frequency of insulin resistance (HOMA > 2.5 or postprandial insulin > 60 μUI/ml) [OR = 4.26 (95% CI, 2.04-8.83), p  36.5 cm [OR = 4.25 (95% CI, 1.76-10.27), p  36.5 cm [OR = 2.08 (95% CI, 1.28-3.39), p = 0.01]. In both groups basal and postprandial glycemia and the frequency of acrochordons were significantly higher in women with a positive familial history for breast cancer. Conclusions We describe a previously unreported association in women between a family history of low-to-moderate risk of breast cancer and insulin resistance syndrome.