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BREAST CANCER AND SELECTED LIFESTYLE VARIABLES: A
CASE-CONTROL STUDY
By: Basrah Cancer Research Group (BCRG)
Participating Researchers:
Aida Adil Abdul-Samad
AA & Eman Adnan Al-Kamil
ABSTRACT
Background:
Evidence from locally conducted studies suggests that breast
cancer was increasing in incidence among females in the past
few decades. Such increase in the incidence rate across time
might reflect a number of factors including improved
diagnosis, better registration and some real increase
reflecting changing lifestyle and exposure to some
significant risk factors.
Objectives:
To explore the association of breast cancer and lifestyle
variables.
Methods:
This study is a case-control study which involved 134 women
with
histologically ascertained breast cancer who attended for
treatment in Al-Sadr teaching hospital and the Oncology
Centre. The controls were 269 women who were apparently
healthy and without any evidence of breast cancer selected
from users of the same institutions but for other purposes.
Cases and controls were group matched for age and place of
residence. The study aimed at the exploration of the
association between selected lifestyle risk factors and
breast cancer in Basrah. The study extended from 1st of
January to 30th of October 2006.
Results:
The results showed that the factors which had significant
association with the risk of breast cancer were level of
education, early menarche, older age at birth of first
child, no breast feeding, lack of consumption of fruits and
vegetables and consumption of animal fat.
Conclusions:
Breast cancer seems related to lifestyle variables. It is
recommended early detection of breast cancer within the
framework of a comprehensive cancer control programme,
promotion of healthy diet and further studies on breast
cancer.
1(FIBMS),
Director of Breast Cancer Early, Detection Centre, Basrah
2
(PhD), Department of Community Medicine, College of
Medicine, University of Basrah
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