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June 1, 2005
Harmful Chemicals May Reprogram Gene Response To Estrogen
Topics: Medical Science NewsNew research shows that exposure to harmful chemicals and drugs during critical developmental periods early in life may actually "reprogram" the way certain genes respond to the female hormone estrogen. This genetic reprogramming may determine whether people with a genetic predisposition for a disease actually develop the disease.
(...) The new research shows that when rats with a genetic predisposition to uterine tumors also receive an early-life exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic form of estrogen linked to vaginal cancer, the incidence of uterine tumors rises to almost 100 percent. By comparison, slightly more than half of the unexposed animals, those having only the genetic defect, developed the uterine tumors.
(...) DES is a drug that was prescribed for women from 1938 to 1971 to prevent miscarriages and premature deliveries. Daughters of women who used DES are at increased risk for reproductive tract abnormalities, pregnancy complications such as ectopic pregnancies and preterm deliveries, infertility, and a rare vaginal and cervical cancer called clear-cell adenocarcinoma(also see here). Other research conducted by NIEHS scientists indicates that women exposed to DES in utero have a higher risk of uterine fibroids.
(...) The discovery is important because it changes conventional thinking about the way in which genetic predisposition and things in the environment interact to increase disease risk. Until now, scientists thought that exposure to harmful agents in the environment caused damage to the gene. This study, however, indicates that an environmental agent can actually change or reprogram the gene so that it functions differently.
More On Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma:
It was the discovery of a rare form of cancer of the vagina in young women exposed to DES that resulted in the government stepping in to ban the use of the drug in pregnancy. Fortunately, the risk of cancer from DES exposure appears to be small, less than one in 1000 DES daughters. Initially, it was thought that the risk peaked in the age range from the late teens to the early 20s, and then dropped off after that. However, a clustering of cases in women in their late 30s and early 40s has led Dr. Arthur Herbst, the physician who first identified this cancer, to fear that there may be a second "wave" of these cancers in this older age range. Studies continue at Dr. Herbst’s Center for Transplacental Carcinogenesis at the University of Chicago. If you or anyone you know has been diagnosed with clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina or cervix, you should contact Dr. Herbst’s Registry at The University of Chicago, Department of OB/GYN, MC 2050, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637. Another wonderful information and support group is the DES Cancer Network.
The best way to protect yourself from this disease is to be consistent in your health care. Find a physician who is familiar with the special pelvic examination that DES daughters should have. He may recommend a colposcopy to check for any abnormal tissue changes, and may take biopsies or specimens of any suspicious areas.
DES has also affected sons, although there have not been as many studies focused on the risks or problems they face. Studies have shown that DES sons are at increased risk of infertility, developing epididymal cysts (non-cancerous cysts on the back of the testicle), testicular cancer, genital abnormalities including underdeveloped or undescended testes, microphallus (small penis), testicular varicoceles and hypospadias.
There is a consumer group dedicating specifically to DES Sons. The DES Sons Network is a national network providing information and support for men exposed to DES and counseling for men with testicular cancer. Michael Freilick, a testicular cancer survivor, is the Network’s coordinator and can be reached at 104 Sleepy Hollow Place, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, Phone No.: 609-795-1658. He is a wonderful resource for DES sons.
Cross posted by Hyscience
Posted by Richard at June 1, 2005 12:51 PM
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