BREAST CANCER RISK AND SCREENING IN TRANSGENDER WOMEN

İbrahim Batmaz

Mardin Artuklu University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Mardin, Türkiye

Batmaz İ. Breast Cancer Risk and Screening in Transgender Women. Balsak D, Aksin Ş, eds. Health of Transgender Women: Gynecological, Hormonal, Sexual and Psychological Management. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2025. p.175-181.

ABSTRACT

Transgender women have a significantly (46.7 times) higher risk of breast cancer compared to cisgender men. However, compared to cisgender women, the risk is lower (0.3 times). Most breast cancers diagnosed are hormone positive and have similar characteristics to cisgender women. 86% of transgender women receive gender-affirming hormone therapy. Although breast cancer starts earlier in transgender women than in cisgender women, 60% of transgender people are unaware of breast cancer screening. However, there are no agreed-upon evidence-based breast cancer screening guidelines to reduce breast cancer.

Keywords: Transgender woman; Breast canser risk; Gender-affirming hormone therapy; Breast cancer screening; Screening guideline

Referanslar

  1. Sonnenblick EB, Shah AD, Goldstein Z, Reisman T. Breast Imaging of Transgender Individuals: A Review. Curr Radiol Rep. 2018;6(1):1 [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  2. Pivo S, Montes J, Schwartz S, Chun J, Kiely D, Hazen A, Schnabel F. Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Screening in Transgender Patients. Clin Breast Cancer. 2017 Aug;17(5):e225-e227. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  3. Wiepjes CM, Nota NM, de Blok CJM, Klaver M, de Vries ALC, Wensing-Kruger SA, et al. The Amsterdam Cohort of Gender Dysphoria Study (1972-2015): Trends in Prevalence, Treatment, and Regrets. J Sex Med. 2018 Apr;15(4):582-590. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  4. de Blok CJM, Wiepjes CM, Nota NM, van Engelen K, Adank MA, Dreijerink KMA, et al. Breast cancer risk in transgender people receiving hormone treatment: nationwide cohort study in the Netherlands. BMJ. 2019 May 14;365: l1652. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  5. Hartley RL, Stone JP, Temple-Oberle C. Breast cancer in transgender patients: A systematic review. Part 1: Male to female. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2018; 44(10):1455-1462. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  6. Macias H, Hinck L. Mammary gland development. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Dev Biol. 2012;1(4):533-557. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  7. Brisken C, O'Malley B. Hormone action in the mammary gland. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2010; 2 (12): a003178. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  8. Oakes SR, Rogers RL, Naylor MJ, Ormandy CJ. Prolactin regulation of mammary gland development. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2008 Mar;13(1):13-28. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  9. Fabris B, Bernardi S, Trombetta C. Cross-sex hormone therapy for gender dysphoria. J Endocrinol Invest. 2015 Mar;38(3):269-82. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  10. van de Grift TC, Elaut E, Cerwenka SC, Cohen-Kettenis PT, De Cuypere G, Richter-Appelt H, Kreukels BPC. Effects of Medical Interventions on Gender Dysphoria and Body Image: A Follow-Up Study. Psychosom Med. 2017 Sep;79(7):815-823. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  11. Wierckx K, Gooren L, T'Sjoen G. Clinical review: Breast development in trans women receiving cross-sex hormones. J Sex Med. 2014 May;11(5):1240-7. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  12. Sonnenblick EB, Shah AD, Goldstein Z, Reisman T. Breast Imaging of Transgender Individuals: A Review. Curr Radiol Rep. 2018;6(1):1. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  13. Patel H, Samaha Y, Ives G, Lee TY, Cui X, Ray E. Chest Feminization in Male-to-Female Transgender Patients: A Review of Options. Transgend Health. 2021 Oct 4;6(5):244-255. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  14. Dimitrakakis C, Bondy C. Androgens and the breast. Breast Cancer Res. 2009;11(5):212. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  15. Leinung MC, Feustel PJ, Joseph J. Hormonal Treatment of Transgender Women with Oral Estradiol. Transgend Health. 2018 May 1;3(1):74-81. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  16. Tangpricha V, den Heijer M. Oestrogen and anti-androgen therapy for transgender women. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2017 Apr;5(4):291-300. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  17. Miller TJ, Wilson SC, Massie JP, Morrison SD, Satterwhite T. Breast augmentation in male-to-female transgender patients: Technical considerations and outcomes. JPRAS Open. 2019 Apr 17;21:63-74. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  18. Asokan A, Sudheendran MK. Gender Affirming Body Contouring and Physical Transformation in Transgender Individuals. Indian J Plast Surg. 2022 Aug 23;55(2):179-187. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  19. Gucalp A, Traina TA, Eisner JR, Parker JS, Selitsky SR, Park BH, et al. Male breast cancer: a disease distinct from female breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019 Jan;173(1):37-48. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC]
  20. Lienhoop T, Green L. Breast imaging in transgender women: a review. Clin Imaging. 2021 Dec;80:283-289. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  21. Veronesi P, De Lorenzi F, Loschi P, Rietjens M, Veronesi U. Current Trends in the Oncologic and Surgical Managements of Breast Cancer in Women with Implants: Incidence, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2016 Apr;40(2):256-65. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  22. Stivala A, Libra M, Stivala F, Perrotta R. Breast cancer risk in women treated with augmentation mammoplasty (review). Oncol Rep. 2012 Jul;28(1):3-7. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  23. Breast Cancer Risk and Screening in Transgender Women Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California San Francisco. Guidelines for the Primary and Gender-Affirming Care of Transgender and Gender Nonbinary People. 2nd edition. Deutsch MB, ed. [Link]
  24. Committee Opinion no. 512: health care for transgender individuals. Obstet Gynecol. 2011;118(6):1454-1458. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  25. Hembree WC, Cohen-Kettenis PT, Gooren L, Hannema SE, Meyer WJ, Murad MH, et al. Endocrine Treatment Of Gender-Dysphoric/Gender-Incongruent Persons: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. Endocr Pract. 2017 Dec;23(12):1437. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  26. Monticciolo DL, Malak SF, Friedewald SM, Eby PR, Newell MS, Moy L, Destounis S, Leung JWT, Hendrick RE, Smetherman D. Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations Inclusive of All Women at Average Risk: Update from the ACR and Society of Breast Imaging. J Am Coll Radiol.2021 Sep;18(9):1280-1288. [Crossref]  [PubMed]
  27. Lienhoop T, Smetko M, Green L. Breast cancer in transgender women: A case report. Clin Imaging. 2020 Dec;68:20-23. [Crossref]  [PubMed]