Environment and Breast Cancer: Science Review
About
Relation of childhood height and later risk of breast cancer
Herrinton, L. J., Husson, G. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2001. 154:7, 618-23.
Topic area
Body size
Body size
Study design
Other: case-control study
Other: case-control study
Funding agency
Not reported
Not reported
Study Participants
Number of Cases
214
214
Menopausal Status
Post menopausal
The menopausal status of women included in this study is listed here.
Pre menopausalPost menopausal
Number of Controls
Controls: 214
Controls: 214
Participant selection: Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Criteria used to select participants in the study.
In: Kaiser Permanente members diagnosed with epithelial breast cancer between 1974 and 1995 (cases); lived in one of seven Bay Area counties; joined Kaiser when they were age 12 or younger
Ex: older than 12 years upon entry into plan; cases treated but not diagnosed at Kaiser; women with a history of breast cancer before 1974; women with inaccessible charts; women with a family history of breast cancer
Comment about participation selection
Strengths: anthropometric data were obtained through medical records; prospective study; analyzed breast cancer risk by height among women 15-18 years Limitations: few postmenopausal women in study; difference in the level of missing information among cases and controls; not a population based study; did not state the tertile heights used in each age group
Strengths: anthropometric data were obtained through medical records; prospective study; analyzed breast cancer risk by height among women 15-18 years Limitations: few postmenopausal women in study; difference in the level of missing information among cases and controls; not a population based study; did not state the tertile heights used in each age group
Exposures investigated
Height
Height
How exposure was measured
Medical record
Medical record
Breast cancer outcome investigated
Primary breast cancer
Primary breast cancer
Ethnic groups with separate analysis
If this study provided a separate analysis by ethnic or racial group, the groups are listed here.
No
Confounders considered
Other breast cancer risk factors, such as family history, age at first birth, and hormone replacement therapy use, that were taken into account in the study.
Adequately controlled: confounders: year and age at entry; marital status; alcohol consumption; race; parity; age at first birth, menopausal status, maternal height and maternal BMI
Genetic characterization included
If the study analyzed relationships between environmental factors and inherited genetic variations, this field will be marked “Yes.” “No”, if not.
No
Strength of associations reported
Women age 15-18 who were tall for their age vs. short for their age had a greater risk of breast cancer, OR=2.2(1.1-4.3)
Women age 15-18 who were tall for their age vs. short for their age had a greater risk of breast cancer, OR=2.2(1.1-4.3)
Author address
Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, 3505 Broadway, Oakland CA 94611-5714, USA. ljh@dor.kaiser.org
Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, 3505 Broadway, Oakland CA 94611-5714, USA. ljh@dor.kaiser.org