Dr. Lusine Yaghjyan Uncovers Associations Between Air Pollution and Breast Density

Assistant Professor in Epidemiology Lusine Yaghjyan, MD, MPH, PhD, recently published in Breast Cancer Research. Her paper, entitled “Association between air pollution and mammographic breast density in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium,” examined the potential links between exposure to environmental air pollutants (fine particulate matter and ozone) and breast density. Higher-density breasts, which contain more connective and glandular tissue than lower-density breasts, are a well-established risk factor for breast cancer. The study found that women with higher exposure to environmental fine particulate matter are more likely to have dense breast tissue, while women with higher exposure to environmental ozone are less likely to have dense breast tissue. Dr. Yaghjyan’s work has been covered substantially in the press, with interviews and articles appearing on AOL, MSN, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, and many more. Congratulations to Dr. Yaghjyan on her research and the enthusiastic media reception it has received.