The association of breast cancer and meningioma in men and women.
OBJECTIVE
An association between breast cancer and intracranial meningioma has been described in women. We sought to determine whether this connection exists in men as well, hypothesizing that causes unrelated to sex may be responsible.


METHODS
We queried state cancer registries that recorded data on breast cancer and meningioma. International Classification of Diseases for Oncology codes for breast cancer and meningioma were used. The incidence rate of the second primary tumor was compared between identified meningioma and breast cancer cohorts and the general population for each sex.


RESULTS
Five state registries collected data on men and women from 1995 to 2003. The incidence of meningioma was 2.6 and 0.96 (cases per 100,000) for women and men, respectively, during this period. The incidence of breast cancer was 61 and 0.69 (cases per 100,000) for women and men, respectively, during this period. One man and 439 women were diagnosed with both diseases. The standardized incidence ratio was used to determine the magnitude of association between breast cancer and meningioma. During the study period, the standardized incidence ratio indicated a stronger than expected association between breast cancer and meningioma in women, regardless of which disease was diagnosed first. In every year except one, the standardized incidence ratio indicated no association between breast cancer and meningioma in men, regardless of which disease was diagnosed first.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results support a strong association between meningioma and breast cancer in women. Conversely, we were unable to show as strong an association in men. This suggests that the connection between these diseases may be dependent on sex.
Rao
Ganesh
G
Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA. grao@mdanderson.org
Giordano
Sharon H
SH
Liu
Jun
J
McCutcheon
Ian E
IE
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000453:epidemiology; D018672:Community Health Planning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors