Risk Factors for Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women in Brazil

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze risk factors for postmenopausal breast cancer. Methods: The present casecontrol study included 600 women treated at a cancer center reference hospital in a municipality in the South of Brazil. Results: Totals of 100 patients and 500 control subjects were evaluated. The mean age of the women was 52.5 11.9 years; the average was 57.4 11.8 years, and the average age of the control subjects was 51.5 11.7 years. The risk factors for breast cancer that were considered included an age 40 years, postmenopausal status, a body mass index (BMI) 30 kg/m2, and reduced physical activity. Variables like postmenopausal status and an obese BMI were associated with cases of breast cancer. Women who were postmenopausal or obese were 3.80 or 1.80 times more likely to develop breast cancer, respectively, and physically inactive women were 1.72 times more likely to develop breast cancer. Conclusions: Obesity and postmenopausal status are associated with the occurrence of breast cancer in this population. Being over 40 years of age was also a statistically significant factor for postmenopausal women.