Gender-Affirming Testosterone Therapy on Breast Cancer Risk and Treatment Outcomes

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal will undertake preclinical studies to address breast cancer (BC) risk and treatment concerns of transmasculine people (female-to-male transition). This proposal will also elucidate the interplay of miRNAs and testosterone in mammary gland development, carcinogenesis, and response to BC treatment. Most transmasculine individuals pursue testosterone therapy (TT) to treat their gender dysphoria. The breast is a sex hormone-sensitive organ. Transmasculine individuals who receive TT are now a subject of concern – very little is known about how such high levels of testosterone affect the breast and subsequently risk of developing BC. Prospective human studies will take decades. Mouse aging is accelerated by a factor of 70 compared to humans, and the hormone regulation of breast development is similar in mice and humans. Aim 1 will use two mouse models to clarify the extent to which TT affects the risk of developing estrogen receptor positive (ER+) and negative (ER-) BC. We will compare the incidences and tumor specific survival in female mice (intact) and oophorectomized female mice receiving TT with their respective counterparts that do not receive TT (Aim 1.1). On the other end of the spectrum, for transmasculine patients diagnosed with BC, there are neither clinical guidelines nor risk-benefit studies on whether they can continue TT while being treated for BC. There is a gap in knowledge about whether testosterone affects the efficacy of BC treatment. The discontinuation of TT is undesirable as it affects these patients’ emotional wellbeing and body image, and compounds their cancer- induced emotional distress. Aim 2 will address the clinical treatment issue of whether continuing testosterone affects BC treatment outcomes. Aim 2 will use the same two mouse models to investigate whether continuing testosterone affects alpelisib (FDA approved therapy for ER+ tumors harboring a PIK3CA mutation) or olaparib (FDA approved therapy for ER- tumors harboring a BRCA1 mutation) treatment outcomes (Aim 2.1). We will leverage Aims 1.1 and 2.1 to conduct molecular investigations about the effect of TT on androgen receptor and ER mediated transcriptional programs—mRNA and miRNA expression—on regulating mammary gland development and carcinogenesis (Aim 1.2), and response to BC treatment (Aim 2.2). Transgender people are the fastest growing group in the LGBTQ community. We need to start understanding their cancer risk and the long-term health outcomes of TT. Our proposal will be the first to lead to fundamentally new insights to understand BC risk and develop clincial treatment guidelines to improve BC outcome in the medically underserved transmasculine population. The increased understanding of the role of sex hormones in BC risk and treatment, as well as the miRNA landscape in regulating androgen expression in BC, are not only important to improve transmasculine health and reduce their healthcare disparities. These knowledge will have direct implications for understanding BC risk and open up new avenues of treatment for cisgender men and women as well.