Br. J. Cancer Br. J. Cancer
19"
631-636 (1990), 62, 631-636 (1990), 62,
Macmillan Press Ltd., 1990 1990 Press
Ltd.,
Sex hormones in women in rural China and in Britain T.J.A. Key', J. Chen2, D.Y. Wang3, M.C. Pike4 & J. Borehams 'Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford OX2 6HE, UK; 2Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Beijing, China; 3Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratory, Histopathology Department, Medical School, Guy's Campus, London SEI 9RT, UK; 4University of Southern California School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, 1420 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles, California 90033-9987, USA; and 5Cancer Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford OX2 6HE, UK. Summary Plasma concentrations of certain hormones linked to breast cancer risk were measured in agepooled samples from 3,250 rural Chinese women in 65 counties, and 300 British women, all aged 35-64. In age-groups 35-44, 45-54 and 55-64 respectively, mean oestradiol concentrations were 36% (P = 0.043), 90% (P< 0.001) and 171% (P = 0.001) higher in the British than in the Chinese women, and mean testosterone concentrations were 48% (P
19"
631-636 (1990), 62, 631-636 (1990), 62,
Macmillan Press Ltd., 1990 1990 Press
Ltd.,
Sex hormones in women in rural China and in Britain T.J.A. Key', J. Chen2, D.Y. Wang3, M.C. Pike4 & J. Borehams 'Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford OX2 6HE, UK; 2Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Beijing, China; 3Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratory, Histopathology Department, Medical School, Guy's Campus, London SEI 9RT, UK; 4University of Southern California School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine, 1420 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles, California 90033-9987, USA; and 5Cancer Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford OX2 6HE, UK. Summary Plasma concentrations of certain hormones linked to breast cancer risk were measured in agepooled samples from 3,250 rural Chinese women in 65 counties, and 300 British women, all aged 35-64. In age-groups 35-44, 45-54 and 55-64 respectively, mean oestradiol concentrations were 36% (P = 0.043), 90% (P< 0.001) and 171% (P = 0.001) higher in the British than in the Chinese women, and mean testosterone concentrations were 48% (P
