Height, weight, weight change and risk of breast cancer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
BACKGROUND
The relationship between body size and breast cancer still remains controversial in considering menopausal status.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association of height, weight and weight changes with breast cancer in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).


METHODS
177 incident cases of invasive breast cancer admitted to the main hospital of INCA between May 1995 and February 1996, and 377 controls recruited from among female visitors to the same hospital.


METHODS
Height and weight were measured and information on maximum weight, weight at ages 18 and 30 years, and potential risk factors were ascertained by interview at the hospital.


RESULTS
Height was not related to risk of breast cancer among both pre and postmenopausal women. Nevertheless, women in this study were shorter than in studies that have found a positive association. Premenopausal women in the upper quartile of recent body mass index (BMI) and maximum BMI showed a reduced risk of breast cancer (P for trend < or = 0.03). Weight loss between ages 18 and 30 years and from 18 years to present was also associated with breast cancer among premenopausal women.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings may merely indicate the known association between leanness and breast cancer. Further studies should explore the role of weight loss on breast cancer risk.
Community Health, Institute of Social Medicine, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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AB
de Vasconcelos
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G
Azevedo e Silva Mendonça
R
R
Sichieri
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D017697:Premenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D015431:Weight Loss