Reproductive risk factors associated with breast cancer in Columbian women

Introduction As of 1992, breast cancer has been the second cause of death in Columbian w omen, with a rising trend in mortality due to this type of neoplasm (averag e annual rate 4.5*/100.000 inhabitants). information about potential risk f actors for breast cancer in Latin American countries is scarce. The objecti ves of the project were to test the breastfeeding protection against breast cancer and to establish the reproductive factors associated with breast ca ncer in Columbia. Methods A hospital case-control study was carried out from July 1995 to March 1996 in Bogota, Columbia, using paring by age groups. The study population consi sted of 171 histopathologically confirmed cases and 171 controls Reproducti ve history and sociodemographic data were collected through a questionnaire , and logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis of the data. Results The following associated factors were found as principal results: nuli-paro usness as compared with women with over 3 children (OR = 3.35 CI 1.40-8.0), age at first birth (OR = 1.83 CI 0.70-4.80), breast cancer history breastf eeding the first child (OR = 0.09 CI 0.01-0.64 for I-ii months) and with a highly significant trend for accumulated breastfeeding above 24 months (p = 0.001). Conclusions This study indicates the importance of focusing on the promotion of prolong ed breastfeeding by women identified as being at higher risk and confirms t hat socio-economic level can determine life shies Rad reproductive events a mong women (such as breastfeeding time); this could explain the increase in breast cancer mortality in Latin American countries, similar to that in de veloped countries in terms of fertility and risk factors for breast cancer The epidemiological information produced by this study will be useful for p lanning and carrying out early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in women identified as being at high risk of this disease.