Physical Activity and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Leitzmann Michael F, Moore Steven C, Peters Tricia M, Lacey James V Jr, Schatzkin Arthur, Schairer Catherine, Brinton Louise A, Albanes Demetrius
Primary Institution: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Hypothesis
What is the relationship between physical activity and the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer?
Conclusion
Vigorous physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, particularly in lean women.
Supporting Evidence
- During 269,792 person-years of follow-up, 1506 cases of postmenopausal breast cancer were documented.
- Women in the highest category of vigorous activity had a relative risk of 0.87 compared to those with no vigorous activity.
- The inverse association with vigorous activity was significant among women with a BMI less than 25.0 kg/m2.
Takeaway
Being active, especially doing vigorous exercises, can help lower the chances of getting breast cancer after menopause, especially for women who are not overweight.
Methodology
The study followed 32,269 women and assessed their physical activity through questionnaires, identifying breast cancer cases via self-reports and cancer registries.
Potential Biases
Potential for over-reporting of physical activity and confounding by socioeconomic status.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported physical activity, which may lead to misclassification, and it primarily included Caucasian women, limiting generalizability.
Participant Demographics
Most participants were Caucasian (89%), with 85% being postmenopausal at baseline.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.21
Confidence Interval
0.74 to 1.02
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website