Risk Factors for Breast Cancer and its Prognosis
Abstract
This project takes advantage of the high quality and population-based nature of the registries in Denmark to study reproductive risk factors for the development and prognosis of breast cancer. In the first fiscal year, four studies were completed. Based on an old and population-based Danish registry of induced abortions, we defined a large cohort of 28.5 million person-years to address the issue whether induced abortion increases the risk of breast cancer. We found no overall effect of induced abortion on breast cancer risk. In study 2-4, we took advantage of a very complete Danish registry which contains population-based information on tumour characteristics, treatment regimens and follow-up status on Danish women with breast cancer. We found low age at first child-birth but not parity to be associated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, a diagnosis of breast cancer less than two years after having given birth was associated with a particularly poor survival irrespective of the stage of disease at debut. This made us conclude that a recent pregnancy should be regarded as a negative prognostic factor and as such be considered in the counseling of these patients. Finally, we found no evidence that a pregnancy subsequent to breast cancer treatment should aggrevate the prognosis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA340845
Entities
People
- Mads Melbye