Puberty, breast cancer, and the environment

Myriad factors, including biology, the environment, lifestyle, and body composition, influence the age at which puberty begins. Studies have shown that women who start menstruating at an early age have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. This research in this report stems from the hypothesis that early environmental exposures can influence mammary gland or breast development and the age when puberty begins, which may in turn affect the risk of breast cancer in later life.