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01-10-2007 | Original Paper

Lack of evidence for effect modification by estrogen of association between body mass index and colorectal cancer risk among postmenopausal women

Authors: Yiting Wang, Eric J. Jacobs, Lauren R. Teras, Alexandre L. Pavluck, Carmen Rodriguez, Michael J. Thun, Eugenia E. Calle

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 8/2007

Abstract

Objective

Previous studies of the association between body mass index (BMI) and colorectal cancer among women found increased risk only among women who were premenopausal or used hormone replacement therapy (HRT). These results led to the hypothesis that BMI may increase risk more strongly among women with higher levels of circulating estrogen. We examined the association between BMI and colorectal cancer incidence by use of HRT, and number of postmenopausal years without HRT, a measure of duration of exposure to lower levels of estrogen.

Methods

During follow-up from 1992–2003, 814 incident colorectal cancer cases were identified among 73,842 postmenopausal women in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort. Information on BMI and other risk factors was obtained from questionnaires completed at enrollment in 1992–1993 and during follow-up. Hazard ratios were calculated using proportional hazards modeling.

Results

The association between BMI and colorectal cancer incidence was similar among never–users of HRT (hazard ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval 1.02–1.25 per 5-unit increase in BMI) and current-users of HRT (hazard ratio 1.08, 95% confidence interval 0.92–1.27 per 5-unit increase in BMI). Among women not currently using HRT, the association between BMI and colorectal cancer did not differ by postmenopausal years without HRT.

Conclusions

Our results do not support the hypothesis that BMI increases risk of colorectal cancer more strongly among women with higher levels of estrogen.

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Title: Lack of evidence for effect modification by estrogen of association between body mass index and colorectal cancer risk among postmenopausal women
Authors: Yiting Wang
Eric J. Jacobs
Lauren R. Teras
Alexandre L. Pavluck
Carmen Rodriguez
Michael J. Thun
Eugenia E. Calle
Publication date: 01-10-2007
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 8/2007
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-007-9009-5

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