Breast Density
The Twins and Sisters Study of Mammographic Breast Density has received funding from NHMRC. The aim is to investigate factors that cause women to have increased breast density for their age and, therefore, an increased risk of breast cancer. The study is being conducted in collaboration with researchers at the Ontario Cancer Institute and the University of Toronto in Canada who have developed state-of-the-art technology to enable the precise measurement of dense and non-dense tissue in the breast. Our previous study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has shown that most of this large variation in breast density could be due to as yet undiscovered genetic factors.
Latest news:
This study has been funded 2004-2006 by the National Health and Medical Research Council. If you or your sisters would like to receive more information contact us on freecall: 1800-882-844 or via email at: mammogram-research@unimelb.edu.au
Also, a promotional poster for the study is available for download here (pdf 64kb).
Professor John Hopper with twins Jan Leighton and Jill Wilson and their sisters Joy de Jong and Sue Miriklis.
Recent Publications
The Australian Twins and Sisters Breast Density Study 2005 Newsletter* (pdf 518kb)
*Please note that the 2005 newsletter is an updated version of the newsletter published in 2004. It has been republished to reflect the new Centre for MEGA Epidemiology in which this reasearch is taking place.