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01-04-2007 | Original Paper

Psychological attitudes and risk of breast cancer in Japan: a prospective study

Authors: Kenji Wakai, Masayo Kojima, Kazuko Nishio, Sadao Suzuki, Yoshimitsu Niwa, Yingsong Lin, Takaaki Kondo, Hiroshi Yatsuya, Koji Tamakoshi, Akio Yamamoto, Shinkan Tokudome, Hideaki Toyoshima, Akiko Tamakoshi, for the JACC Study Group

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 3/2007

Abstract

Objective

To examine the association between psychological factors and the risk of breast cancer prospectively in a non-Western population.

Methods

Data from the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) study were analyzed. From 1988 to 1990, 34,497 women aged 40–79 years completed a questionnaire on medical, lifestyle and psychosocial factors. The rate ratios (RRs) of their responses were computed by fitting to proportional hazards models.

Results

During the mean follow-up period of 7.5 years, 149 breast cancer cases were documented. Those individuals who possessed “ikigai” (Japanese term meaning something that made one’s life worth living) showed a significantly lower risk of breast cancer (multivariate-adjusted RR = 0.66; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.47–0.94). Those who perceived themselves as able to make decisions quickly also had a lower risk of breast cancer (multivariate-adjusted RR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.36–0.87). The other factors investigated, including ease of anger arousal and self-perceived stress of daily life were not associated with breast cancer risk.

Conclusions

Although further studies will be necessary to verify these findings, our results suggest that having “ikigai” and being decisive decrease an individual’s subsequent risk of breast cancer.

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Title: Psychological attitudes and risk of breast cancer in Japan: a prospective study
Authors: Kenji Wakai
Masayo Kojima
Kazuko Nishio
Sadao Suzuki
Yoshimitsu Niwa
Yingsong Lin
Takaaki Kondo
Hiroshi Yatsuya
Koji Tamakoshi
Akio Yamamoto
Shinkan Tokudome
Hideaki Toyoshima
Akiko Tamakoshi
for the JACC Study Group
Publication date: 01-04-2007
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 3/2007
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-006-0111-x

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Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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