Polycystic ovaries and the risk of breast cancer

Author affiliations (2)
  • Columbia University ROR
  • University of Southern Maine ROR

American Journal of Epidemiology, 134(8), 818-824, 1991

DOI 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116156 PMID 1951277

Abstract

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.

Topics

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

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