research news
Dividing breast cancer cell in the telophase stage of
cell division (mitosis). In this last stage of mitosis, the
chromosomes have already been duplicated and
distributed to each daughter cell. However, the two
daughter cells are still connected by a narrow
cytoplasmic bridge.
PERIODONTAL DISEASE
IS ASSOCIATED WITH
INCREASED BREAST CANCER RISK
IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN
History of smoking significantly affects the link
ostmenopausal women with periodontal disease were more likely to develop breast cancer
than women who did not have the chronic
inflammatory gum disease, according to a
study published in Cancer Epidemiology,
Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association
for Cancer Research. Jo L. Freudenheim, PhD.
P
“Periodontal disease is a common condition, and it has been
shown to be associated with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes,”
said lead author Jo L. Freudenheim, PhD, distinguished professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental
22 NORTH TEXAS DENTISTRY | www.northtexasdentistry.com
Health in the University at Buffalo’s School of Public Health and
Health Professions. “Previous research has found links between
periodontal disease and oral, esophageal, head and neck, pancreatic, and lung cancers, so we wanted to see if there was any
relationship with breast cancer.”
Freudenheim and colleagues monitored 73,737 postmenopausal
women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational
Study, none of whom had previous breast cancer. Periodontal
disease was reported in 26.1 percent of the women. Because
prior studies have shown that the effects of periodontal disease
vary depending on whether a person smokes, researchers exam-