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High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hemoglobin A1c and breast cancer risk: a nested case–control study from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort

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Abstract

Purpose

Our aim is to examine the associations between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), common biomarkers of inflammation and insulin resistance, respectively, with breast cancer risk, while adjusting for measures of excess body size.

Methods

We conducted a nested case–control study within the Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort (Alberta, Canada) including 197 incident breast cancer cases and 394 matched controls. The sample population included both pre- and postmenopausal women. Serum concentrations of hsCRP and HbA1c were measured from blood samples collected at baseline, along with anthropometric measurements, general health and lifestyle data. Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between hsCRP, HbA1c, and breast cancer risk adjusted for excess body size (body fat percentage) and other risk factors for breast cancer.

Results

Higher concentrations of hsCRP were associated with elevated breast cancer risk (odds ratio [OR] 1.27; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.03–1.55). The observed associations were unchanged with adjustment for body fat percentage. Higher HbA1c concentrations were not significantly associated with an increased breast cancer risk (OR 1.22; 95% CI 0.17–8.75).

Conclusion

These data suggest that hsCRP may be associated with elevated breast cancer risk, independent of excess body size. However, elevated concentrations of HbA1c did not appear to increase breast cancer risk in apparently healthy women.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the advice and contributions of Megan Farris, Joy Pader, and Yibing Ruan on this paper. Cancer registry data were obtained through linkage with Cancer Surveillance & Reporting, Cancer Research and Analytics, CancerControl Alberta. Tiffany Haig received graduate student funding support from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR). Darren Brenner was supported by a Canadian Cancer Society Capacity Development Award in Cancer Prevention (Grant No. 703917). The views expressed herein represent the views of the author(s) and not of Alberta’s Tomorrow Project or any of its funders. Alberta’s Tomorrow Project is only possible due to the commitment of its research participants, its staff and its funders: Alberta Health and the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund, Alberta Cancer Foundation, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and substantial in kind funding from Alberta Health Services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Tiffany R. Price

  2. Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Christine M. Friedenreich & Darren R. Brenner

  3. Cancer Research & Analytics, CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Paula J. Robson

  4. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Haocheng Li

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  1. Tiffany R. Price
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Correspondence to Darren R. Brenner.

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Price, T.R., Friedenreich, C.M., Robson, P.J. et al. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, hemoglobin A1c and breast cancer risk: a nested case–control study from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project cohort. Cancer Causes Control 31, 1057–1068 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-020-01329-6

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