Clinical and epidemiologic factors associated with breast cancer and its subtypes among Northeast Chinese women

Abstract

The incidence of breast cancer has increased dramatically in China. We evaluated the clinical and epidemiologic factors associated with breast cancer, and its stage in a case-control study of Northeast Chinese women. We also examined whether these factors were differentially distributed among molecular subtypes of breast cancer in a case-only analysis. We identified 1118 breast cancer patients and 2284 healthy women from Cancer Hospital of Medical University between January 2014 and December 2017. Logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We found that postmenopausal women had a decreased risk of breast cancer (multivariate-adjusted OR = 0.33, 95% CI:0.25-0.43), and tended to have breast cancer of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing (multivariate-adjusted OR = 2.99, 95% CI: 1.49-5.97) and triple-negative (multivariate-adjusted OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.02-4.56) subtypes, compared with the luminal B subtype. Women with history of abortion had an increased risk of breast cancer (multivariate-adjusted OR = 4.70, 95% CI: 3.60-6.14). Women with high breast density and high Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) scores of lesions tended to have breast cancer of advanced stage, but were not differentially distributed among its molecular subtypes. In conclusion, postmenopausal women had decreased risk of breast cancer, and tended to have nonluminal subtype, while women with history of abortion had increased risk of breast cancer. Women with high breast density and BIRADS scores of lesions tended to have advanced stage breast cancer. We provide evidence on the epidemiologic factors for breast cancer and its subtypes, which may help with breast cancer risk stratification.

Keywords: advanced stage; breast cancer; early stage; molecular subtypes.