Udicki Mirjana; Starcevic Ivana; Srdic Galic Biljana; Dragan Turanjanin & Radovanovic Zoran

Digit ratio established in utero is positivelly correlated with intrauterine level of estrogen. Since the breast cancer is related to excessive and prolonged exposure to estrogen, digit ratio might be considered as useful marker in breast cancer risk assessment. The aim of the present study was to compare digit ratios in breast cancer patients and healthy controls. The study group consisted of 98 breast cancer patients aged between 29 to 84 years while the control group included 141 healthy women aged between 21 and 67 years. After collecting anamnestic data concerning menopausal status, the length of second and fourth fingers were measured and the digit ratios were calculated for both hands, as well as the difference between right and left digit ratio. Digit ratio was significantly higher on right hand in breast cancer patients compaired to healthy controls (1.003±0.05 vs. 0.990±0.03). Right digit ratio showed better predictive capacity for the breast cancer development then the left (AUC:0.609 vs. 0.541). Negative statistically significant correlation between right digit ratio and the age of breast cancer diagnosis was observed (r=-0.271). Higher values of right digit ratio in women with breast cancer when compared to healthy women suggest their higher prenatal estrogen exposure that confirms the importance of digit ratio determination in breast cancer risk assessment.

KEY WORDS: Digit ratio; Breast cancer; Age of the breast cancer diagnosis.

UDICKI, M.; STARCEVIC, I.; SRDIC GALIC, B.; DRAGAN, T.; RADOVANOVIC, Z. Second to fourth digit ratio in women with breast cancer. Int. J. Morphol., 41(1):25-29, 2023.