Methodological Issues in Second Primary Breast Cancers
Author Information
Author(s): Robinson D
Primary Institution: King's College London
Hypothesis
How does the removal of an organ affect the risk of second primary cancers?
Conclusion
Failing to account for mastectomies leads to an underestimation of the incidence ratios for ipsilateral breast cancers.
Supporting Evidence
- Failure to correct for mastectomies leads to underestimation of standardized incidence ratios for ipsilateral tumors.
- Expected numbers of subsequent ipsilateral and contralateral breast cancers are calculated differently based on mastectomy status.
- An example shows that without correction, the SIR for ipsilateral breast cancer is lower than for contralateral tumors.
Takeaway
If a woman has breast cancer and has one breast removed, we need to be careful when counting how many times she might get cancer again in that breast.
Methodology
The study compares observed numbers of subsequent cancers with expected numbers based on general population incidence rates, adjusting for mastectomies.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in estimating cancer risk due to not correcting for mastectomies.
Limitations
The analysis may not account for all factors influencing cancer risk.
Participant Demographics
Women diagnosed with breast carcinoma in situ.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website