Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women, yet the reasons that some women develop this disease are still largely unknown. Recent research has suggested that childhood stress during key developmental periods such as puberty may have an impact on long term health. Stress response over long periods may cause normal functions of the body to change, which may lead to increased risk of developing certain diseases like breast cancer. Other research has found hundreds of genes that, when considered together, may increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. We seek to explore if a person’s stress during their childhood leads to an increased allostatic load, a risk factor for breast cancer, and whether it leads to development of breast cancer. In addition, we will examine whether associations of childhood stress are modified by underlying genetic susceptibility to breast cancer risk.
