LIFE STYLE CHARACTERISTICS: RISK FACTOR FOR BREAST CANCER

Fakhsheena Anjum*, Nighat Razvi, M. Ali Masood and Mahwish Sajid

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to identify various life style risk factors of breast cancer in Pakistani females. This was an observational case control study. The breast cancer cases (n= 811) were from KIRAN hospital, Karachi and the control group (n= 1154) was population based, also from Karachi city. A researcher administered questionnaire was used with face to face interviews with the study subjects, from April 2011 to September 2013. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Mean age of the control group was 45.85±9.97 years and that of the breast cancer cases was 47.02± 11.79 years. More than 90% females were housewives (p=0.002) among which more than 50% had interfamily marriage (p<0.001). Only 30% controls and about 60% cases consumed milk regularly (p<0.001) with majority consuming fresh milk (p<0.001). The family history of breast cancer was found in 15.65% cases only (p<0.001). From binary logistic analysis it was seen that odds were higher for developing breast carcinoma regarding interfamily marriage (p<0.001), housewives (p=0.003) and regular milk consumption (p<0.001). The odds were much higher for illiterate subjects (p<0.001) and in those having concomitant hypertension and diabetes mellitus (p<0.001). Bivariate adjusted models in logistic regression analysis also revealed higher odds regarding these factors for the attainment of breast carcinoma; multivariate logistic regression analysis further supported that specifically interfamily marriage and regular milk consumption had much higher odds for the development of breast cancer. The results have revealed various life style factors that are potential risk for the development of breast carcinoma in the Pakistani females and these risk factors may vary worldwide due to environmental and cultural disparities; hence very important in detecting specific population at risk of breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast cancer, risk factors, life style characteristics.