BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Identification of breast cancer risk factors is very important. Cholesterol by acting on tumor cells is considered as one of the risk factors for breast cancer. The conversion of cholesterol to bile acids is one of the major mechanisms of cholesterol excretion from body. In this study, total bile acids and cholesterol concentrations were evaluated in breast cancer patients.

METHODS: In this case-control study, 109 of patients who breast cancer was confirmed by pathological examination and 109 healthy subjects who had normal physical exam and negative mammograms to rule out breast cancer were studied. Fasting serum total bile acids and cholesterol levels were measured enzymatically and then the data were analyzed.

FINDINGS: The mean of total bile acids in breast cancer patients and control group were 11.67±0.92 and 13.36±0.81 µmol/l, respectively (p<0.05). Mean of cholesterol levels in breast cancer patients was 316.98±15.35 mg/dl and control group was 212.08±5.79 mg/dl (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: According to the results, it appears that lower amounts of body cholesterol are converted to bile acids in breast cancer patients.