Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026
Tracking the Mammary Architectural Features and Detecting Breast Cancer with Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Published on: December 15, 2014
Occupation and mammographic density: A population-based study (DDM-Occup)
Javier García-Pérez1, Marina Pollán1, Beatriz Pérez-Gómez1
1Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública - CIBERESP), Spain.
High mammographic density, a breast cancer risk factor, was linked to specific occupations in Spanish women. Secondary school teachers and nurses showed higher density, with a trend for teachers correlating with years worked.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Occupational Health
- Radiology
Background:
- High mammographic density is a significant risk factor for breast cancer.
- Previous research has linked certain occupations to breast cancer risk, but not specifically to mammographic density.
- Understanding occupational associations with mammographic density can inform targeted breast cancer prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify occupations associated with high mammographic density among Spanish female workers.
- To investigate potential occupational determinants of mammographic density in a population-based sample.
Main Methods:
- A population-based cross-sectional study involving 1476 Spanish women aged 45-68.
- Occupational history was collected and coded using the 1994 National Classification of Occupations.
- Mammographic density was assessed using a semi-automated computer-assisted tool and analyzed with mixed linear regression models, adjusting for multiple confounders.
Main Results:
- Secondary school teachers (eβ = 1.41) and nurses (eβ = 1.23) exhibited higher mammographic density, though not statistically significant.
- Workers in caregiving roles (eβ = 0.81) and housewives (eβ = 0.87) showed an inverse association with mammographic density.
- A statistically significant positive trend was observed between years worked as a secondary school teacher and mammographic density (p=0.035).
Conclusions:
- Nurses and secondary school teachers were identified as occupations with the highest mammographic density.
- The duration of employment as a secondary school teacher showed a positive association with mammographic density.
- Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential causal mechanisms.
