Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common neoplasms and the second biggest cause of death among women. The aim of the study was to investigate how separate risk factors influence the development of breast neoplasms.
Materials and methods: The study included 200 women aged between 17 and 86 years diagnosed with breast neoplasm, who were treated at the Department of Oncological Surgery in Poznan. The study included patients who underwent an operation because of a benign or malignant breast tumor. The questionnaire was completed according to the patients' answers. The histopatological diagnosis was taken from their medical history with the patients'prior consent. The statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica programme at the Department of Computer Science and Statistics of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences. The study was accepted by the Bioethics Commission of the University.
Results: The correlation between working status, menopausal age, being overweight, obesity, arterial hypertension, smoking, and whether BC was observed at present or in the past. Smoking was also related to a two-fold increase in malignant cancer (OR = 1.97). A BMI above 24.5 kg/m2 was associated with a nearly three-fold increase in BC (OR = 2.61).
Conclusions: The results of the study offer very important implications because some of the factors which correlated positively with BC can be modified. We may postulate that a modification to the lifestyle in the sense of giving up smoking and a well-balanced diet combined with physical activity, leading to normal weight being maintained, could have a positive effect in decreasing BC development.