Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41044437›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer research and clinical oncology2025

Evaluation of the gut microbiome and sex hormones in postmenopausal women with newly diagnosed hormone receptor-positive breast cancer versus healthy women: a prospective case-control study.

Maryann Kwa, Grant Hussey, Yelena Novik, Adrian A Franke, Angelina Volkova, Karina Flores, Martin J Blaser, James Speyer, Ruth Oratz, Marleen Meyers and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Breast Cancer and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. The dialogue between breast cancer and microorganisms.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026
    Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Maryann KwaLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. maryann.kwa@nyulangone.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4708-1381
Grant HusseyInstitute for Systems Genetics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Yelena NovikLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Adrian A FrankeAnalytical Biochemistry Shared Resource, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, USA.
Angelina VolkovaInstitute for Systems Genetics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Karina FloresInstitute for Computational Medicine, Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Martin J BlaserCenter for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
James SpeyerLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Ruth OratzLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Marleen MeyersLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Komal JhaveriBreast Medicine Service and Early Drug Development, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
Ezeddin FadelCenter for Biospecimen Research and Development, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Adriana HeguyGenome Technology Center, Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Jonas SchluterLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Kelly V RugglesInstitute for Systems Genetics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Sylvia AdamsLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI Hongbiao Carl Lekaye · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
Vaccine FacilityP30CA016087 · NCI · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI ANIRBAN MAITRA · 1985 to 2026
$83.1M
University of Hawaii Cancer Center CCSGP30CA071789 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA · PI GERTRAUD MASKARINEC · 1996 to 2026
$56.2M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748NCI NIH HHS P30 CA016087NCI NIH HHS P30 CA071789NIH HHS 5P30CA16087-40NIH HHS P30CA71789
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe functional composition and diversity of the gut microbiome may affect breast cancer risk by modulation of systemic sex hormones. Gut bacteria with β-glucuronidase enzymatic activity may deconjugate estrogens, leading to increased estrogen reabsorption into the circulation thereby increasing breast cancer risk. We investigated the relationship between the gut bacterial microbiome and endogenous estrogens and related sex hormones in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer compared to healthy control women. The goal was to determine if the estrobolome (i.e., bacteria capable of modulating the body's circulated estrogen levels) was altered in those with breast cancer compared with controls.

methodsIn this prospective case-control study, postmenopausal women (n = 46) with newly diagnosed stage I-III estrogen and/or progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer were compared with healthy postmenopausal female controls (n = 22). Bacterial composition of the gut microbiome was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing from fecal specimens. Plasma and urine sex hormones were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

resultsWe found evidence that some β-glucuronidase positive bacteria were enriched in the breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls, whereas abundances of some β-glucuronidase negative bacteria were reduced. There was also a wide distribution of prevalence of β-glucuronidase positive taxa in both breast cancer subjects and healthy controls, as well as higher probability of breast cancer subjects having higher average β-glucuronidase levels. Significant differences were found in endogenous progesterone levels between the breast cancer patients and healthy controls.

conclusionThis pilot study showed differences in the gut microbiome and endogenous progesterone levels among postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer compared with healthy controls. These interesting findings may have implications for breast cancer risk and prevention and warrant further exploration.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsGastrointestinal MicrobiomeGonadal Steroid HormonesPostmenopauseAgedCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMiddle AgedProspective StudiesReceptors, EstrogenReceptors, ProgesteroneRNA, Ribosomal, 16SGonadal Steroid HormonesReceptors, EstrogenReceptors, ProgesteroneRNA, Ribosomal, 16SBreast cancerEstrogenMicrobiomeProgesterone

Identifiers

PMID41044437
PMCPMC12494539

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.