title: Potential Risk Factors for Breast Cancer in Pakistani Women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the most common female malignancy worldwide and its incidence is on the rise in Pakistan. The aim of this case-control study was to quantify the association of various risk factors with breast cancer risk among Pakistani women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2,246 women were studied, including 1,238 women with histologically confirmed breast cancer patients and age matched control subjects (N=1008) without breast cancer and other chronic diseases. Subjects were interviewed using a specifically designed questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression was applied. Subsequent disease-specific mortality was also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, majority of the breast cancer patients (69.59%) were in age ranges of 40s and 50s. BMI greater than 25kg/m2 (OR=1.57; 95%CI, 1.26-1.90 and OR=1.60; 95%CI, 1.26-2.03), marital status of unmarried (OR=2.03; 95%CI, 1.69-2.44), lack of breast feeding, smoking (current or ever), lack of physical activity and post-menopausal status were found to have significant positive associations with breast cancer. It was also observed that increased parity reduced the disease risk. A larger number of cases (58.1%) had their right breast affected while 22.8% had other complications as well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This exploratory analysis indicated a number of risk factors to be associated with increased risk of breast cancer. It was also observed that mean age at diagnosis is a decade earlier than in western countries. It is hoped that our findings will facilitate establishment of adequate evidence-based awareness and preventive measures for Pakistani women.
authors: Department of Bioinformatics and Biosciences, Capital University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan E-mail : raisa_bano@yahoo.com.
authors: Raisa
authors: R
authors: Bano
authors: Muhammad
authors: M
authors: Ismail
authors: Aamer
authors: A
authors: Nadeem
authors: Mohammad Haroon
authors: MH
authors: Khan
authors: Hamid
authors: H
authors: Rashid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors