Left-handedness and risk of breast cancer.
Left-handedness may be an indicator of intrauterine exposure to oestrogens, which may increase the risk of breast cancer. Women (n=1786) from a 1981 health survey in Busselton were followed up using death and cancer registries. Left-handers had higher risk of breast cancer than right-handers and the effect was greater for post-menopausal breast cancer (hazard ratio=2.59, 95% confidence interval 1.11-6.03).
Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia. fritschi@waimr.uwa.edu.au
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Fritschi
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Divitini
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Talbot-Smith
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Knuiman
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology