REPRODUCTIVE FACTORS AND RISK OF BREAST CANCER AMONG WOMEN IN TAMILNADU, INDIA

This report examines generally recognized menstrual and reproductive risk factors for breast cancer among women in Tamilnadu. A matched case-control study was carried out at a referral hospital in Coimbatore from August 2008-July 2010. A standardized questionnaire that comprised socio-demographic factors and menstrual and reproductive history was used to interview 200 histological confirmed breast cancer patients and 200 controls. Controls were non-breast cancer patients who were matched for age and ethnicity and excluded those with malignancies or having gynecological, hormonal or endocrine problems. Conditional logistic regressions were used for analysis. Factors contributing for increased risk of breast cancer were age ( > 50 years),Education( > high school),BMI( > 25),Age at menarche( < 13 years),Age at marriage( > 29 years), nulliparity, use of oral contraceptives, Age at first child birth( > 30 years) and Age at menopause( > 50 years). To be concluding that, there was a significant difference between breast cancer cases and controls in relation to the above factors examined.