Hormone Related Risk Factors and Breast Cancer: Hospital Based Case Control Study from India

Abstract

Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy in Indian women. Basically it is a hormone mediated disorder due to continuous exposure to ovarian hormones. Several established modifiable and non modifiable risk factors influence hormonal status which is associated with breast cancer. Prevalence and profile of risk factors of breast cancer differs region wise. Although etiology of breast cancer is complex and multifactorial involving genetic, hormonaland environmental factors, various studies showed significant role of reproductive risk factors in breast tumor genesis. Present study was aimed to explore association of various hormone related risk factors with breast cancer in Indian women. This hospital based case control study included newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer and age matched healthy women as controls. Standard structured pretested valid questionnaire was administered to record socio demographic data, medical, family, past history, use of hormones and reproductive risk factors. Participants were asked about marital status, number of live births, abortions, age at first live birth and breastfeeding duration history. Information was also obtained regarding age at menarche, menopausal status, age at menopause and use of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy. Anthropometric measures body mass index and waist: hip ratio were taken as index of adiposity. We found significant association (p＜ 0.05) of age, menopausal status, use of oral contraceptives and postmenopausal obesity with breast cancer in comparison with controls. Present study has provided possible association of hormone related risk factors in breast cancer in Indian population.