ADULT HEIGHT AND RISK OF BREAST-CANCER AMONG WHITE WOMEN IN A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Data from a hospital-based case-control study were analyzed to evaluat e the relation of adult height to the risk of breast cancer among whit e women. The authors compared 5,358 newly diagnosed breast cancer case s and 4,555 controls interviewed from 1976 to 1992 in hospitals locate d mainly in the United States. Overall, there was no association betwe en stature and risk of breast cancer. In comparison with women whose h eights were less than 62 inches (<158 cm), the adjusted odds ratios we re 1.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-1.2), 1.0 (95% CI 0.9-1.2), 1 .0 (95% CI 0.9-1.1), and 1.0 (95% CI 0.8-1.2) for women with heights o f 62-63, 64-65, 66-67, and greater than or equal to 68 inches (equival ent to 158-160, 163-165, 168-170, and greater than or equal to 173 cm) , respectively. There was no consistent evidence of modification of th e effect of height by other risk factors. The results suggest that adu lt stature in white women is not related to the risk of breast cancer.