Research project
Bisphenols and breast cancer risk: Unravelling the role of adipose tissue
- Start date: 1 November 2024
- End date: 31 October 2027
- Value: £144,880.13
- Primary investigator: Dr Giorgia Cioccoloni
- External co-investigators: Valerie Speirs, University of Aberdeen
- Postgraduate students: Arya Pilani
Our study is looking into how exposure to chemicals called bisphenols, which we often come across in everyday items, might be linked to obesity and the risk of getting breast cancer. We're trying to understand how these chemicals could make changes in the body's fat cells that might help cancer start and grow.
Even though there are some guidelines on how much of these chemicals is safe to be exposed to, there's still worry about their effects on health. Bisphenols can affect the body in different ways, some of which might make it easier for cancer to develop. Fat cells can store these chemicals and also play a role in managing the body's fat, which could create an environment that allows breast cancer to start and spread.
Our research has two main goals: first, to see how breast cells change after they come into contact with fat cells that have been exposed to bisphenols; and second, to figure out exactly how these changes happen. This research is important because it's going to help us understand more about how bisphenols might make people more likely to get breast cancer. We hope our findings will lead to better ways to prevent and treat breast cancer by shedding light on how these chemicals affect our health.
Impact
Our study addresses the significant health implications associated with bisphenols exposure, emphasizing the potential impact on breast cancer susceptibility. The outcomes of this research will provide valuable insights into the pro-tumorigenic changes induced by bisphenols in adipose tissue and their potential role in breast cancer onset and progression, ultimately contributing to improved strategies for prevention and intervention.