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Hormonal Carcinogenesis V pp 259–269Cite as

Why Hormones Protect Against Large Bowel Cancer: Old Ideas, New Evidence

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Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 617))

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer mortality in men and women, and remains a significant cause of morbidity. Accumulating evidence from observational, clinical, and laboratory studies indicates that hormones reduce large bowel cancer risk. Recently, questions have arisen regarding which hormones are germane, and in what milieu they are relevant. In this chapter, we consider the genesis of this hypothesis, its studies in humans, and biological pathways that might explain recent and past findings, including new genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Other perturbations in metabolizing enzymes responsible for estrogen metabolisms and the conversion of progesterone to estrogens may be relevant, although specific polymorphisms contributing to variations in hormone concentrations have not been directly related to CRC risk (1). We also provide some new evidence on the long-term effects of hormones on specific subtypes of large bowel tumors, and on CRC mortality, further supporting putative roles for hormone effects.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Prevention Public Health Science, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Polly A. Newcomb

Authors
  1. Polly A. Newcomb
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  2. Gaia Pocobelli
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  3. Victoria Chia
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Center Department of Pharmacology, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS, USA

    Jonathan J. Li PhD  & Sara A. Li PhD  & 

  2. Division of Cancer Biology, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA

    Suresh Mohla PhD

  3. Hormone and Cancer Unit, U540, Montpellier University and INSERM, Montpellier, France

    Henri Rochefort MD/PhD

  4. Department of Cell Biology, Montpellier University 1-INSERM, U540 Hospital Arnaud de Villeneuve, Montpellier, France

    Thierry Maudelonde MD/PhD

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© 2008 Springer

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Newcomb, P.A., Pocobelli, G., Chia, V. (2008). Why Hormones Protect Against Large Bowel Cancer: Old Ideas, New Evidence. In: Li, J.J., Li, S.A., Mohla, S., Rochefort, H., Maudelonde, T. (eds) Hormonal Carcinogenesis V. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 617. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-69080-3_24

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