Is body fat topography a risk factor for breast cancer? Journal Article


Authors: Petrek, J. A.; Peters, M.; Cirrincione, C.; Rhodes, D.; Bajorunas, D.
Article Title: Is body fat topography a risk factor for breast cancer?
Abstract: Objective: To determine whether body fat distribution is associated with the onset of breast cancer. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. Patients: Three hundred thirteen healthy, white women, born in the United States. Measurements: Waist and hip circumferences were measured on the day before diagnostic breast surgery, and an extensive risk assessment of clinical and family history data was done. After the results of diagnostic breast surgery were obtained, study participants were divided into three groups: women with breast cancer (n = 156); controls (n = 126) with benign tissue at biopsy and an average risk for breast cancer; and high-risk women (n = 31), defined as being at a risk for breast cancer development of 1% per year, based on rigorous histologic or clinical criteria. Results: The waist-to-hip ratios (WHR) were identical (mean ± SD) in case patients (0.80 ± 0.06), controls (0.80 ± 0.06), and high-risk women (0.80 ± 0.08). Further, no trend could be detected between increasing WHR and breast cancer risk; the estimated relative risk for cancer incidence in women with WHR greater than or equal to 0.81 was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.36 to 1.71), compared with women with WHR of less than 0.73. No difference in WHR was noted between the case patients and controls when analyzed separately according to menopausal status, age, absolute weight, or relative weight. Conclusion: In the women studied, body fat topography as defined by WHR was not associated with breast cancer development.
Keywords: adult; controlled study; human tissue; aged; cancer risk; cancer incidence; breast cancer; breast neoplasms; risk factor; body mass index; high risk population; body composition; adipose tissue; body fat; human; female; priority journal; article; waist-to-hip ratio
Journal Title: Annals of Internal Medicine
Volume: 118
Issue: 5
ISSN: 0003-4819
Publisher: American College of Physicians  
Date Published: 1993-03-01
Start Page: 356
End Page: 362
Language: English
DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-118-5-199303010-00006
PUBMED: 8430981
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Source: Scopus
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  1. Jeanne Ann Petrek
    91 Petrek
  2. Margaret M Peters
    5 Peters