The implications of Oxidative Stress in Breast Carcinogenesis

Carcinoma breast is an ancient and elusive disease which has claimed the lives of many, since time immemorial. It is one of the most serious problems of clinical and research oncology and till date, remains the commonest cause of death from cancer in women. Despite extensive research that has been on-going for decades throughout the world, the etiopathogenesis of breast cancer still remains obscure. Various etiological factors have been proposed but their relevance has not yet been elucidated. The main focus of this research work has been to delve into the role of one of those risk factors, i.e., oxidative stress in breast carcinogenesis. Oxidative stress has been implicated in several human pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases and several malignancies - just to name a few. The question we ask ourselves at this stage is - what are the implications of oxidative stress in breast carcinogenesis? If oxidative stress really is an important causative factor of carcinoma breast, this would be a major breakthrough in the search for a cure for breast cancer since prevention of oxidative stress would be synonymous to prevention of breast carcinogenesis.