Menopause-associated declines in IGF1 levels have been previously reported (40, 41) and may explain our findings, and is corroborated by reported effect modification by menopausal status of associations between breast cancer risk factors, such as age, recent leisure-time physical activity and alcohol consumption, and IGF1 and IGFBP3 levels (42). The gene discussed is IGFBP3; the disease is breast carcinoma.