Breast Cancer Risk and World War II in Norway
Author Information
Author(s): Robsahm T E, Tretli S
Primary Institution: KREFTREGISTERET, Institute of Population-Based Cancer Research
Hypothesis
Residential history in food vs non-food producing areas may influence breast cancer incidence among Norwegian women.
Conclusion
The study suggests that World War II may have had a beneficial effect on breast cancer risk, particularly in non-food-producing areas.
Supporting Evidence
- The study included 7311 cases of breast cancer diagnosed between 1964 and 1992.
- Women in non-food areas were more frequently nulliparous and had a delayed child-bearing pattern.
- Breast cancer incidence was observed to decline for post-war cohorts.
Takeaway
This study looked at how where women lived during their childhood affected their chances of getting breast cancer, especially during World War II when food was scarce.
Methodology
The study used a population-based cohort design, analyzing data from the Cancer Registry of Norway and Statistics Norway, focusing on women aged 30-64 from 1964 to 1992.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the ecological nature of the study and reliance on historical data.
Limitations
The study may not account for all confounding factors influencing breast cancer risk, such as lifestyle changes post-war.
Participant Demographics
Women aged 30-64 years, with a total of 597,906 participants, including 7,311 breast cancer cases.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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