title: Risk factors for breast cancer in Iran: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iranian breast cancer patients are relatively younger than their Western counterparts. The objective of the present study was to investigate risk factors for breast cancer in Iranian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was conducted from April 1997 to April 1998 in Tehran, Iran. Demographical data and risk factor related information were collected using a short structured questionnaire. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were derived from logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 286 women with breast cancer and 249 control women were interviewed. In multivariate analysis, only marital status (never married: OR 4.24, 95% CI 1.70-10.57 [P = 0.002]; widowed/divorced: OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.05-2.68 [P = 0.03]) and family history (positive family history of breast cancer: OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.15-7.59 [P = 0.02]) were associated with significantly increased risk for breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present study suggest that family history and marital status may have an impact on the incidence of breast cancer in Iranian women.
authors.affiliation: Iranian Centre for Breast Cancer, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mandana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vahdaninia
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montazeri
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D017533:Marital Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires