Document Type
Capstone Experience
Graduation Date
5-2026
Degree Name
Master of Public Health
Department
Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health
First Committee Member
Eleanor Rogan, PhD
Second Committee Member
Laura Tenner, MD, MPH
Third Committee Member
Muhammad Zahid, PhD, MPH
Abstract
The link between estrogen and cancer initiation or progression has been well established; such that the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO IARC) has classified several estrogen therapies and estrogenic compounds as group 1 carcinogens. Estrogen and/or its receptors have been associated with reproductive cancers such as breast, ovarian, endometrial, and prostate, as well as lymphomas, lung, and colon cancers. Additionally, elevated levels of estrogen and altered gut microbiomes are also associated with increased rates of breast cancer. More recently, microbial genes that are capable of synthesizing estrogen and deconjugating estrogen metabolites have been identified, and evidence supports deconjugating enzymes contributing to estrogen homeostasis. Thus far, much of the data suggesting a role for the gut microbiome in systemic estrogen levels has been correlative. This review summarizes endogenous estrogens in the gastrointestinal tract, estrogen metabolites in feces, and microbial estrogen synthesis or metabolizing enzymes to provide insight into how a shift in microbiome may alter circulating estrogens and affect outcomes in estrogen associated cancers. Finally, knowledge gaps regarding the impact of the microbiome on estrogen metabolism are discussed.
Rights
The author holds the copyright to this work and any reuse or permissions must be obtained from the author directly.
Recommended Citation
Cederberg, Rebecca, "A Literature Review of Estrogen Synthesis and Metabolizing Enzymes Produced by the Human Gut Microbiome and Their Correlation with Cancer" (2026). Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health. 432.
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/coph_slce/432