Boyd, Norman F

Biography

Boyd, Norman F, Professor M.B.B.S., 1963, M.D., 1985 , DSc in 1999, University of London, United Kingdom  Ontario Cancer Institute / Princess Margaret Hospital  610 University Avenue, Room 10-415  Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9  Boyd, Norman F, Professor M.B.B.S., 1963, M.D., 1985 , DSc in 1999, University of London, United Kingdom  Ontario Cancer Institute / Princess Margaret Hospital  610 University Avenue, Room 10-415  Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9 

Research Interest

Our research is concerned with the development of strategies to prevent breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cause of death from any cancer in women in most of the Western world, and the leading cause of death from all causes among women aged less than 50. Several factors have been identified that influence risk of the disease, including the characteristics of breast tissue on either mammography or histology, the number of pregnancies, alcohol, and body weight. Mammographic density has consistently been shown to be one of the strongest known risk factors for breast cancer. Research is designed to improve our understanding of this risk factor, its measurement, its causes, and its significance as a biomarker of breast cancer risk. Current methods of measuring mammographic density are based on the 2-dimensional image. In collaboration with Dr M Yaffe (Medical Biophysics and Imaging Research, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre) we are now evaluating novel methods of measurement that assess the volume of the tissues in the breast that contribute to radiological density. Data collection has been completed and final calibration of the measurements and data analysis is in progress. Striking differences exist between countries in the incidence of breast cancer. The causes of these differences are unknown, but because incidence rates change in migrants, they are thought to be due to differences in lifestyle. The goal of this research is to identify the factors responsible for international differences in breast cancer risk, and to determine whether differences in breast tissue composition, and the hormonal and growth factors associated with them contribute to differences in risk.