[Do there still exist risk factors for breast cancer?]

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the risk factors associated with a breast cancer, and to compare the proportion of women at high and low risk for developing breast cancer.

Patients and methods: Retrospective study among 194 women with breast cancer between January 2007 and December 2008 in the Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine department of the Amiens' University hospital.

Results: Concerning all the series, only age, overweight and family antecedents seem risk factors of breast cancer. The proportion of women in the low-risk group (12.3%) is not significantly different from that of the high-risk group (18.5%). In the low-risk group, the factors which seem to influence a breast cancer are those in connection with high levels of estrogens (early age of the first menstruation, late age of the menopause and oral contraceptive use) and the smoke habitus; whereas in the high-risk group, the factors are the nulliparity and the absence of breast feeding.

Discussion and conclusions: One finds in this series a part only of the known risk factors of breast cancer; and the proportion of women at low risk (12.3%) is comparable with that at high risk (18.5%). This study shows the relative weight of the various risk factors of breast cancer, at a time when its prevalence reached 10%.