FSH, body fat, and breast cancer risk after menopause
Official title: Role of FSH in postmenopausal obesity and breast cancer
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11258054 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will look at whether higher follicle-stimulating hormone after menopause is linked to more belly fat and a higher chance of breast cancer in a large group of women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $736,626 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA258436-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258054 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Postmenopausal women, particularly those with varying levels of body fat and those who participated in WHI studies with stored serum and DXA data.
✕Less likely to help
The study uses existing data and observational analyses; individual participants are not required to enroll anew.
What this research studies
Postmenopausal obesity is linked to breast cancer, but the mechanisms are unclear. The study uses existing data from the Women’s Health Initiative to explore if FSH levels relate to adiposity, especially visceral fat, and how this may affect cancer risk. It will analyze cross-sectional and long-term data, including DXA measurements and stored serum, to understand FSH-adiposity-breast cancer connections. A case-control component will examine whether baseline FSH is associated with future breast cancer, and whether adiposity mediates this relationship. All analyses leverage large, real-world cohorts to clarify potential pathways that could inform prevention in women after menopause.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help identify women at higher risk and inform strategies to reduce obesity-related breast cancer after menopause.
How similar studies have gone: Previous findings have linked adiposity and cancer risk, and this study builds on existing WHI data to test a new mechanistic link with FSH.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bea, Jennifer Wright — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Bea, Jennifer Wright
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.