Data from a case-control study that was conducted between 1980 and 1982 were analyzed to investigate the possible association between polycystic ovaries and the risk of breast cancer. The multicenter, population-based study included in-home interviews with 4,730 women with breast cancer and 4,688 control women aged 20-54 years. The age-adjusted odds ratio for breast cancer among women with a self-reported history of physician-diagnosed polycystic ovaries was 0.52 (95% confidence interval 0.32-0.87). The inverse association was not an artifact of infertility, age at first birth, or surgical menopause. Because women with this syndrome have abnormal levels of certain endogenous hormones, the observation of a low risk of breast cancer in this group may provide new insights into hormonal influences on breast cancer.
polycystic ovaries breast cancer risk case control study, PCOS inverse association breast cancer reduced risk, polycystic ovarian syndrome endogenous hormones breast cancer, Gammon Thompson polycystic ovaries breast cancer epidemiology, PCOS hyperandrogenism breast cancer protective effect, population based case control study polycystic ovaries cancer risk, hormonal influences breast cancer polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility surgical menopause breast cancer risk PCOS, polycystic ovaries abnormal hormones cancer epidemiology
PMID 1951277 1951277 DOI 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116156 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116156
Cite this article
Gammon, M. D., & Thompson, W. D. (1991). Polycystic ovaries and the risk of breast cancer. American journal of epidemiology, 134(8), 818-824. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116156
Gammon MD, Thompson WD. Polycystic ovaries and the risk of breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 1991;134(8):818-824. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116156
Gammon, Marilie D., and W. Douglas Thompson. "Polycystic ovaries and the risk of breast cancer." American journal of epidemiology, vol. 134, no. 8, 1991, pp. 818-824.
Keywords
Adult, Age Factors, Body Mass Index, Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology/etiology, Case-Control Studies, Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic, Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic, Female, Humans, Interviews As Topic, Menopause, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/complications, Risk Factors, United States/epidemiology
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