Altered Sex Hormone Regulation as a Possible Link between Diabetes and Breast Cancer

High endogenous plasma levels of estrogens and androgens and low plasma levels of
sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) are strongly associated with breast cancer risk
in postmenopausal women. Obesity, a breast cancer risk factor, is characterized by
increased production of sex hormones in the adipose tissue and decreased liver production of SHBG levels [6]. A meta-analysis of 43 prospective and cross-sectional
studies, comprising 6,974 women, indicated lower levels of SHBG and higher levels of
estrogen and testosterone among patients with type 2 diabetes, compared to controls,
even after adjustment for obesity [19]. Thus, deregulation