Environment and Breast Cancer: Science Review

Effects of obesity on breast cancer stage at diagnosis in Korean women
Kim, Y. A., Lee, C. W. European Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2004. 13:1, 13-7.

Topic area
Body size
Body size
Study design
Other: case series study (medical records)
Other: case series study (medical records)
Funding agency
Not reported
Not reported

Study Participants
Number of Cases
579
579
Menopausal Status
Post menopausal
The menopausal status of women included in this study is listed here.
Pre menopausalPost menopausal
Country where study was conducted
South Korea
South Korea
Participant selection: Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Criteria used to select participants in the study.
In: breast cancer patients from three university hospitals in Daegu, South Korea; diagnosed with breast cancer between 1997 and 1999
Ex: women not treated at one of the three designated hospitals in Daegu; women with missing data items important to the study
Comment about participation selection
Strengths: analyzed breast cancer stage at diagnosis in a population that has had an increasing rate of breast cancer; obtained and analyzed data on tumor size and lymph node stages; analyzed breast cancer stage at diagnosis by BMI Limitations: low participation rate (69.5%); did not obtain menopausal status from patients; important confounding variables could not be controlled for due to missing information from medical records; accuracy of study was dependent on the thoroughness of medical records
Strengths: analyzed breast cancer stage at diagnosis in a population that has had an increasing rate of breast cancer; obtained and analyzed data on tumor size and lymph node stages; analyzed breast cancer stage at diagnosis by BMI Limitations: low participation rate (69.5%); did not obtain menopausal status from patients; important confounding variables could not be controlled for due to missing information from medical records; accuracy of study was dependent on the thoroughness of medical records
How exposure was measured
Medical record
Medical record

Statistical Analysis
Breast cancer outcome investigated
Other: Stage at diagnosis
Other: Stage at diagnosis
Ethnic groups with separate analysis
If this study provided a separate analysis by ethnic or racial group, the groups are listed here.
Korean
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 not reported
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
Description of major analysis
Effect modifiers: age, tumor type, lymph node involvement and stage at diagnosis
Effect modifiers: age, tumor type, lymph node involvement and stage at diagnosis
Strength of associations reported
Association between women with T2 and greater breast cancer tumors compared to women women with T1 tumors and BMI, >25 vs. <24.9, OR=1.25(0.86-1.84)
Association between women with T2 and greater breast cancer tumors compared to women women with T1 tumors and BMI, >25 vs. <24.9, OR=1.25(0.86-1.84)
Results Comments
Association between women with T2 and greater breast cancer tumors compared to women women with T1 tumors and BMI was not related to age.
Association between women with T2 and greater breast cancer tumors compared to women women with T1 tumors and BMI was not related to age.

Author address
Dalsung-Gun Health Center, South Korea. nukelee@dsmc.or.kr
Dalsung-Gun Health Center, South Korea. nukelee@dsmc.or.kr