Average turnover rate of cells in breast

Value 84.5 days
Organism Human Homo sapiens
Reference Tomasetti C, Li L, Vogelstein B. Stem cell divisions, somatic mutations, cancer etiology, and cancer prevention. Science. 2017 Mar 24 355(6331):1330-1334. doi: 10.1126/science.aaf9011 Supplementary Materials p.3 5th paragraphPubMed ID28336671
Primary Source [42] Meyer JS. Cell proliferation in normal human breast ducts, fibroadenomas, and other ductal hyperplasias measured by nuclear labeling with tritiated thymidine. Effects of menstrual phase, age, and oral contraceptive hormones. Hum Pathol. 1977 Jan8(1):67-81. link PubMed ID844855
Method Primary source abstract: "The proliferative rates of terminal duct cells were studied by tritiated thymidine labeling in vitro in 104 specimens of benign breast tissue from 92 women, The tritiated thymidine labeling index showed a cyclic pattern consistent with regulation by female sex hormones...Based on a postulated duration of DNA synthesis of 12 hours, the mean turnover time of the cells of normal terminal ducts would be approximately 22 days for 20 year old women with regular menstrual cycles, and would increase to 147 day at age 40."
Comments Supplementary Materials p.3 5th paragraph: "The turnover rate in human breast has been estimated to vary between 22 days (in 20-year old individuals) and 147 (in 40-year old individuals) (primary source), so [investigators] assumed an average turnover of 84.5 days (=22+147)/2)."
Entered by Uri M
ID 115554