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Updated: May 25, 2026
Changes in Mammary Gland Morphology and Breast Cancer Risk in Rats
Published on: October 16, 2010
Relationship between breast cancer risk factors and mammographic breast density in the Fernald Community Cohort
L Yaghjyan1, M C Mahoney, P Succop
1Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, PO Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
Background:
We investigated associations of known breast cancer risk factors with breast density, a well-established and very strong predictor of breast cancer risk.
Methods:
This nested case-control study included breast cancer-free women, 265 with high and 860 with low breast density. Women were required to be 40-80 years old and should have a body mass index (BMI) <35 at the time of the index mammogram. Information on covariates was obtained from annual questionnaires.
Results:
In the overall analysis, breast density was inversely associated with BMI at mammogram (P for trend<0.001), and parity (P for trend=0.02) and positively associated with alcohol consumption (ever vs never: odds ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.4-2.8). Alcohol consumption was positively associated with density, and the association was stronger in women with a family history of breast cancer (P<0.001) and in women with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) history (P<0.001). Parity was inversely associated with density in all subsets, except premenopausal women and women without a family history. The association of parity with density was stronger in women with HRT history (P<0.001).
Conclusion:
The associations of alcohol and parity with breast density appear to be in reverse direction, but stronger in women with a family history of breast cancer and women who ever used HRT.
