An Integrative Approach to Breast Cancer: Time to Shift from Early Detection to Prevention

Presented by: Tara Scott, MD

There seems to be an increase incidence of premenopausal breast cancer in the United States. Traditionally, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been blamed as a causative factor and also genetics with BRAC 1 and 2. However, these premenopausal patients are not on hormone therapy, and many are negative for BRAC genes. Tara Scott, MD will discuss her hypothesis that there are other single nucleotide pleomorphisms (SNPs) that put a patient at increased risk of breast cancer, namely MTHFR 677, MTHFR 1298, and COMT.

MTHFR and COMT genes are involved in methylation processes in the body. This process is a large component of Phase 2 detoxification, especially for estrogen. Scott’s theory is that patients with SNPs in MTHFR and COMT have an impaired ability to get rid of estrogens and thus have an accumulation or back up of Estrone or the toxic metabolite 4-OH Estrone which can increase the risk of breast cancer. As a result, there is an imbalance in the hormones that cause hyperplasia (estrogens) and regulation an apoptosis (progesterone) in the breast.

This talk will explore the relationship of estrogen detoxification to breast cancer risk and also review the link with exogenous therapy.

This presentation was recorded at the 2022 Integrative Healthcare Symposium Annual Conference.