Plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and familial breast cancer.

We have examined the relationship between plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and a family history of breast cancer. We measured the plasma lipids and lipoproteins in unaffected female members of the nuclear family of women with familial breast cancer and compared them with those of the female members of the nuclear family of women with sporadic breast cancer. A mean number of 3.3 relatives of mean age 35 years were studied in 23 pairs of familial and sporadic breast cancer families. After adjustment in multivariate analysis for variables that either differed between high and low risk families, or were significantly associated with plasma levels or lipoproteins, statistically significant differences were found in plasma levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apoprotein B, all of which were lower in familial breast cancer than in sporadic breast cancer families. These data suggest that inherited factors associated with breast cancer risk may play a role in determining plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels and that lipid regulatory genes should be considered in this context.