A Heather Eliassen

BACKGROUND: Given primary prevention strategies for ovarian cancer, such as surgery and medications, have inherent risks, identifying those at high risk of lethal ovarian cancer is critical. We examined pre-diagnosis factors and risk of dev…

OBJECTIVES: To better understand whether history of infertility is associated with anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels later in life, outside of reproduction. METHODS: Among 1,758 premenopausal women in the Nurses' Health Study II with mea…

OBJECTIVE: Anti-Müllerian hormone is a reliable measure of ovarian reserve associated with menopause timing and fertility. Previous studies have observed that individuals with endometriosis have lower anti-Müllerian hormone levels than thos…

Importance: Early natural menopause (ENM) has been associated with reduced reproductive span, cardiovascular disease risk, and early mortality. The potential adverse implications of endometrioma surgery for ovarian reserve are known, yet th…

BackgroundKnown risk alleles for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) account for approximately 40% of the heritability for EOC. Copy number variants (CNVs) have not been investigated as EOC risk alleles in a large population cohort.MethodsSingl…

Few studies have assessed the association between endogenous steroid hormone levels and a subsequent diagnosis of endometriosis. We prospectively evaluated premenopausal plasma sex hormone levels and the risk of laparoscopically confirmed e…

A lack of prospective studies has been a major barrier for assessing the role of the microbiome in human health and disease on a population-wide scale. To address this significant knowledge gap, we have launched a large-scale collection tar…

PurposeWe investigated the associations of aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs with mammographic breast density (MBD) and their interactions in relation to breast cancer risk.MethodsThis study included 3,675 cancer-free wo…

BackgroundExperimental evidence supports a role of lipid dysregulation in ovarian cancer progression. We estimated associations with ovarian cancer risk for circulating levels of four lipid groups, previously hypothesized to be associated w…

ObjectiveTo prospectively evaluate the association between dietary fat intake and risk of uterine fibroids; and to evaluate the association between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid (FA) levels and fibroid risk.DesignProspective cohort study.…

Reproductive events, such as ovulation, trigger an inflammatory cascade. Few studies have examined their long-term influence on inflammatory profiles. We included 3,393 premenopausal and 3,915 postmenopausal women with intact ovaries/uterus…

BackgroundFlavonoids potentially exert anti-cancer effects, as suggested by their chemical structures and supported by animal studies. In observational studies, however, the association between flavonoids and breast cancer, and potential un…

ImportanceOvarian cancer is a highly fatal malignant neoplasm with few modifiable risk factors. Case-control studies have reported a modest reduced risk of ovarian cancer among women who frequently use aspirin or regularly use low-dose aspi…

Objective To investigate the association between lifetime breast feeding, exclusive breast feeding, postpartum amenorrhea, and incidence of endometriosis among parous women. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Nurses’ Health Study II, …

PurposeMenstrual cycle characteristics are markers of endocrine milieu. However, associations between age at menarche and adulthood sex steroid hormone levels have been inconsistent, and data on menstrual characteristics and non-sex steroid…

PurposeGiven the altered hormonal and inflammatory environment of women with endometriosis, several studies have suggested a positive association between endometriosis and breast cancer, although findings have been mixed. This study investi…

Despite multiple hypotheses for a protective effect, epidemiologic findings are inconsistent regarding the association between physical activity and risk of ovarian cancer. Considering physical activity assessment at different times of life…

BackgroundSex hormones are important for breast cancer, but it is unclear whether dietary patterns influence hormone concentrations.MethodsDietary pattern adherence scores for the alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED), Dietary Approaches to S…

PurposeEndometriosis and mammographic density have been hypothesized to be influenced by sex steroid hormonal exposures in adolescence and early adulthood. We investigated the association between endometriosis and mammographic density, a co…

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis and the risk of breast cancer. Previous research on endometriosis and breast cancer has reported mixed results. METHODS: Our prospective cohort study…

BackgroundThe evidence for an association between migraine and breast cancer risk is inconclusive. While female sex hormones have been proposed as one underlying mechanism, data on sex hormone levels in migraineurs are sparse.MethodsWe pros…

BackgroundAlcohol consumption is a consistent risk factor for breast cancer, and evidence suggests premenopausal plasma hormones are associated with breast cancer.MethodsPlasma concentrations of estradiol, estrone, estrone sulfate, testoste…

PurposeCommon analgesics (aspirin, non-aspirin NSAIDs, and acetaminophen) may be associated with hormone-related cancers, possibly via effects on sex hormone and prolactin concentrations.MethodsBetween 1996 and 1999, 29,611 participants in …