Body Height and Breast Cancer Risk in Norwegian Women
Author Information
Author(s): L.J. Vatten, S. Kvinnsland
Primary Institution: Department of Oncology, University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
Hypothesis
A time-dependent diversity in nourishment may explain the different association between body height and breast cancer risk observed for women in different birth cohorts.
Conclusion
Women who are taller than 167 cm have a significantly increased risk of developing breast cancer compared to those shorter than 159 cm, especially if diagnosed before age 51.
Supporting Evidence
- Taller women had an age-adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 2.03 compared to shorter women.
- The positive association with height was stronger among women diagnosed before age 51 (IRR = 2.63).
- The association with height varied significantly by year of birth, particularly for women born between 1929 and 1936.
Takeaway
Tall women might have a higher chance of getting breast cancer, especially if they were diagnosed when they were younger than 51 years old.
Methodology
The study followed 23,831 women aged 35-51 over 11-14 years, measuring their height and tracking breast cancer cases through the Cancer Registry of Norway.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to selection or misclassification was minimized, but the lack of data on confounding factors could affect results.
Limitations
The study lacked detailed information on known breast cancer risk factors such as age at menarche and family history of breast cancer.
Participant Demographics
Participants were Norwegian women aged 35-51 at the time of height measurement.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% confidence limits 1.36 and 3.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
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