title: Associations of anthropometric measures on breast cancer risk in pre- and postmenopausal women--a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The type of silhouette and quantity of fat tissue are correlated with hormonal imbalance which plays a substantial role in breast carcinogenesis. The goal of the study was to investigate the association between various anthropometric characteristics and breast cancer risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Detailed anthropometric assessment was conducted on 487 women of whom 193 had diagnosed breast cancer and were consecutive patients in the Oncology Center, Cracow, Poland between 2002 and 2004. Measurements were divided into four categories: overall body size (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], waist-hip ratio [WHR]), regional body sizes (skinfold thicknesses, circumferences), thickness of the skeleton (widths, chest diameters), and body proportions. Additionally, results were analyzed in regard to menopausal status. Differences between groups were assessed using Student's t test and Mann-Whitney's test. Models of logistic regression for selected data were built to estimate the odds ratio. Results were considered statistically significant when the P value was less than 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BMI in both groups was negatively associated with the risk of cancer. Among premenopausal women, WHR increased the risk of breast cancer (WHR > 0.83, OR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.01-7.27). Anthropometric indices of hip-to-shoulder ratio in postmenopausal (≥84.2 mm, OR, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01-0.11) and trunk-to-height ratio in both premenopausal women (≥32.76, OR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.03-0.28) and postmenopausal women (≥32.76, OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.05-0.33) were strongly related to a decreased risk of breast cancer. Thicknesses of the triceps and subscapular skinfolds increased the risk of breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with breast cancer present with an obese type of silhouette with a specific concentration of fat tissue in the central and upper parts of the body.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 12, 31-034, Cracow, Poland. renata.pacholczak@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pacholczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 12, 31-034, Cracow, Poland. wkpiotrowska@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Wiesława
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klimek-Piotrowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 12, 31-034, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuszmiersz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio