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Adolescence and breast carcinoma risk
C S Berkey1, A L Frazier, J D Gardner
1Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Cancer
|June 5, 1999
Summary
Rapid adolescent growth, indicated by earlier menarche and taller adult height, increases breast carcinoma risk. Leaner body mass at age 10 is also linked to higher risk, contrary to childhood fatness being protective.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Epidemiology
- Human Growth and Development
Background:
- Breast carcinoma risk is influenced by early life factors, including physical growth, diet, lifestyle, and genetics.
- Adolescent development plays a potential role in breast cancer incidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that adolescent growth and development are associated with breast carcinoma incidence.
- To evaluate the relationship between adolescent factors and breast cancer risk in women.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 65,140 women in the Nurses' Health Study with 16 years of follow-up.
- Estimated peak height growth velocity using a model due to lack of direct observation in the cohort.
- Employed Cox proportional hazards regression models to analyze associations between breast carcinoma incidence and adolescent factors.
Main Results:
- Later menarche and greater body fatness at age 10 were associated with decreased premenopausal breast carcinoma risk.
- Later menarche, more body fat at age 10, and shorter adult height were linked to lower postmenopausal breast carcinoma risk.
- Higher peak height growth velocity correlated with increased risk for both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast carcinoma.
Conclusions:
- Earlier menarche, lean body mass at age 10, and taller adult height predict elevated breast carcinoma risk.
- These factors also predict higher peak adolescent growth velocities.
- Findings support the hypothesis that rapid adolescent growth may increase breast carcinoma development risk.