Age-specific risk of breast cancer in women with neurofibromatosis type 1.
BACKGROUND
Young women with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are reported to have a higher risk of breast cancer than others, and this might have implications for screening programmes. Our aim was to calculate this risk.


METHODS
An all-England linked data set of hospital admissions and deaths was analysed to determine age-specific rates of breast cancer in women with NF1 and controls.


RESULTS
The age-specific excess risk of breast cancer, comparing the NF1 cohort with the control cohort, was elevated 6.5-fold (95% confidence interval 2.6-13.5) in women aged 30-39 years. There was a 4.4 (2.5-7.0) times higher risk among women aged 40-49.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with NF1 develop breast cancer at younger ages than the general population.
Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK.
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Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK.
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D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors