title: A case-control study of breast cancer in Taiwan--a low-incidence area.
abstract: To investigate risk factors for breast cancer in Taiwan, a low-incidence area, a case-control study was conducted. This comprised 244 subjects with diagnosed and pathologically confirmed breast cancer (age range 20-80 years) and 450 female ophthalmology outpatients as controls. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis suggests that breast cancer in Taiwan is aetiologically similar to breast cancer in high to moderate-incidence areas. A family history of breast cancer appears to be the most important factor contributing to the risk of breast cancer (odds ratio = 4.69). The effect of reproductive hormones (represented by the years of history of menses in premenopausal women, odds ratio = 3.35; or the age at menarche in post-menopausal women, odds ratio = 2.67) plays a significant role in tumorigenesis. Breast feeding appears to be a particularly important protective factor in Taiwanese women (odds ratio = 0.57).
authors.affiliation: Mackay Memorial Hospital, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology