Hormonal factors and pancreatic cancer in women.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate hormonal risk factors for carcinoma of the exocrine pancreas among postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Mailed questionnaire data from 52 cases and 233 population-based controls in Ontario were used to assess parity, age at first birth, and other hormonal factors on pancreatic cancer risk.


RESULTS
Reduced risk was seen with three or more pregnancies [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.07-0.65] and use of oral contraceptives (adjusted OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.13-0.96), whereas no significant associations were found for age at menarche or menopause, or estrogen replacement therapy. Among parous women, later age at first full-term pregnancy significantly increased the risk of this cancer (adjusted OR = 4.05, 95% CI = 1.50-10.92 for ages 25-29 years, adjusted OR = 3.78, 95% CI = 1.02-14.06 for ages 30+ years).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data support the hypothesis that pancreatic cancer is, at least in part, an estrogen-dependent disease; there is growing epidemiological evidence that aspects of reproductive history and hormonal exposure are associated with risk of this disease.
Kreiger
N
N
Division of Preventive Oncology, Research Unit, Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Lacroix
J
J
Sloan
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D017584:Reproductive History; D012307:Risk Factors
D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal