Gene variant linked to early puberty
Girls with a version of a gene that boosts their body’s ability to break down testosterone reach puberty earlier than girls whose bodies metabolize this male sex hormone more slowly. Earlier puberty is a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Most scientists blame childhood obesity for the hastening of puberty. But genes may also play a role, report Fred F. Kadlubar of the Food and Drug Administration’s National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson, Ark.