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Height, age at menarche and risk of hormone receptor‐positive and ‐negative breast cancer: A cohort study
Author(s) -
Ritte Rebecca,
Lukanova Annekatrin,
Tjønneland Anne,
Olsen Anja,
Overvad Kim,
Mesrine Sylvie,
Fagherazzi Guy,
Dossus Laure,
Teucher Birgit,
Steindorf Karen,
Boeing Heiner,
Aleksandrova Krasimira,
Trichopoulou Antonia,
Lagiou Pagona,
Trichopoulos Dimitrios,
Palli Domenico,
Grioni Sara,
Mattiello Amalia,
Tumino Rosario,
Sacerdote Carlotta,
Quirós José Ramón,
Buckland Genevieve,
MolinaMontes Esther,
Chirlaque MaríaDolores,
Ardanaz Eva,
Amiano Pilar,
BuenodeMesquita Bas,
van Duijnhoven Franzel,
van Gils Carla H,
Peeters Petra HM,
Wareham Nick,
Khaw KayTee,
Key Timothy J,
Travis Ruth C.,
KrumHansen Sanda,
Gram Inger Torhild,
Lund Eiliv,
Sund Malin,
Andersson Anne,
Romieu Isabelle,
Rinaldi Sabina,
McCormack Valerie,
Riboli Elio,
Kaaks Rudolf
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.27913
Subject(s) - menarche , medicine , breast cancer , hazard ratio , proportional hazards model , cohort , risk factor , breast development , estrogen receptor , cohort study , prospective cohort study , demography , endocrinology , confidence interval , cancer , hormone , sociology
Associations of breast cancer overall with indicators of exposures during puberty are reasonably well characterized; however, uncertainty remains regarding the associations of height, leg length, sitting height and menarcheal age with hormone receptor‐defined malignancies. Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort, Cox proportional hazards models were used to describe the relationships of adult height, leg length and sitting height and age at menarche with risk of estrogen and progesterone receptor negative (ER‐PR‐) ( n = 990) and ER+PR+ ( n = 3,524) breast tumors. Height as a single risk factor was compared to a model combining leg length and sitting height. The possible interactions of height, leg length and sitting height with menarche were also analyzed. Risk of both ER‐PR‐ and ER+PR+ malignancies was positively associated with standing height, leg length and sitting height and inversely associated with increasing age at menarche. For ER+PR+ disease, sitting height (hazard ratios: 1.14[95% confidence interval: 1.08–1.20]) had a stronger risk association than leg length (1.05[1.00–1.11]). In comparison, for ER‐PR‐ disease, no distinct differences were observed between leg length and sitting height. Women who were tall and had an early menarche (≤13 years) showed an almost twofold increase in risk of ER+PR+ tumors but no such increase in risk was observed for ER‐PR‐ disease. Indicators of exposures during rapid growth periods were associated with risks of both HR‐defined breast cancers. Exposures during childhood promoting faster development may establish risk associations for both HR‐positive and −negative malignancies. The stronger associations of the components of height with ER+PR+ tumors among older women suggest possible hormonal links that could be specific for postmenopausal women.