"By investigating epigenetic patterns in tumors from patients we have extensive lifestyle data on, we are helping to bridge the gap between environmental research and translational research." said Karl Kelsey, professor of community health at Brown, director of CEHT, and a contributing author on the paper.

Epigenetics refers to the control of patterns of gene expression in cells, which give rise to the necessary differences responsible for creating the complex and interacting tissues in the body.

"This study provides a new window for finding environmental links to breast disease," said John Wiencke, professor of neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco and senior author of the paper. "Our work indicates that we will soon have new ways to monitor and assess lifestyle and environmental factors for breast cancer."

Breast cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among American women. The American Cancer Society's estimates indicate that approximately 1.3 million new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed globally in 2007 and nearly 500,000 died from the disease. Currently there are more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, and this population is expected to grow to 3.4 million by 2015.

Source: Brown University