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Cancer Causes & Control

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01-04-2009 | Original Paper

Body size and breast cancer in a black population—The Barbados National Cancer Study

Authors: Barbara Nemesure, Suh-Yuh Wu, Anselm Hennis, M. Cristina Leske, Barbados National Cancer Study Group

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 3/2009

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the relationship between body size and incident breast cancer in an African-origin Caribbean population.

Methods

This investigation is based on 222 incident breast cancer cases and 454 controls from the Barbados National Cancer Study (BNCS) in whom body size variables that included height, weight, body-mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences (WC, HC), and waist−hip ratio (WHR) were compared. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed and the findings are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Although 33% of cases and 39% of controls were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²), BMI was not found to be a significant predictor of breast cancer in the multivariate analyses. Tall stature increased risk among women ≥50 years (OR = 2.16, 95% CI (1.02, 4.58)), and a dual effect with age was suggested for both WC and WHR (decreased risk for those aged ≤50 years; increased risk among those ≥50 years).

Conclusions

Body size appears to influence the risk of breast cancer in this population of African origin. The BNCS data suggest that a few, but not all body size factors play a role in breast cancer risk, and that age may affect these relationships.

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Title: Body size and breast cancer in a black population—The Barbados National Cancer Study
Authors: Barbara Nemesure
Suh-Yuh Wu
Anselm Hennis
M. Cristina Leske
Barbados National Cancer Study Group
Publication date: 01-04-2009
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 3/2009
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9253-3

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Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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