title: Bowel function and breast cancer in US women.
abstract: We studied bowel function in relation to 123 breast cancer cases among 7,702 women from the US NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. Results suggest a slight increased risk of breast cancer for both decreased frequency of bowel movements (relative risk = 1.5, 95% confidence interval = 0.8, 2.7) and firm stool consistency (RR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.0, 3.2.) These observations are consistent with an hypothesized association between constipation and increased risk of breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC 20306-6000.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Micozzi
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albanes
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Licitra
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States