Risk factors for breast cancer and their association with molecular subtypes in a population of Northeast Brazil

Kedma Anne Lima Gomes; Aline Ferreira de Araújo Jerônimo; Clarissa Maria Cardoso Guimarães; Raissa de Oliveira Ramos; Lorena Sofia Dos Santos Andrade; Mathias Weller

doi:10.1016/j.canep.2022.102166

Risk factors for breast cancer and their association with molecular subtypes in a population of Northeast Brazil

Cancer Epidemiol. 2022 Jun:78:102166. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2022.102166. Epub 2022 Apr 26.

Authors

Kedma Anne Lima Gomes¹, Aline Ferreira de Araújo Jerônimo¹, Clarissa Maria Cardoso Guimarães¹, Raissa de Oliveira Ramos¹, Lorena Sofia Dos Santos Andrade¹, Mathias Weller²

Affiliations

¹ Post Graduate Program in Public Health, State University of Paraíba (UEPB), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil.
² Post Graduate Program in Public Health, State University of Paraíba (UEPB), Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil. Electronic address: mathiasweller@uepb.edu.br.

PMID: 35486969
DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2022.102166

Abstract

Background: The risk factors for breast cancer (BC) among women in Brazilian populations are poorly understood. To date, few Brazilian studies have addressed the potential association between risk factors and molecular BC subtypes. This case-control study aimed to identify risk factors for BC in a population of Northeast Brazil.

Methods: Data from 313 patients with invasive BC and 321 healthy controls were obtained from medical records from two cancer treatment centres and personal interviews. Of the 313 BC patients, 224 (71.6%) had reached menopause. The following distribution of subtypes was found among 301 patients: (1) Luminal A: 54 (17.9%); (2) Luminal B: 175 (58.1%); (3) HER2/neu: 29 (9.7%); and (4) triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): 43 (14.3%). Odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were determined using regression analysis.

Results: Regression modelling indicated that family history, obesity (≥ 30.0 kg/m²), alcohol consumption and contraceptive use increased the overall risk of BC 1.78 (95% CI: 1.22-2.59), 1.69 (95% CI: 1.08-2.63), 2.21 (95% CI: 1.44-3.39) and 2.99 (95% CI: 2.09-4.28) times, respectively. After stratification for menopausal status, alcohol consumption increased the risk of BC 4.15 (95% CI: 2.13-8.11) times, and obesity, as a single variable, increased the risk of BC 2.02 (95% CI: 1.22-3.37) times, only among postmenopausal women. In a case-control analysis, the risk of TNBC and Luminal B breast cancer were 4.06 (95% CI: 1.58-10.42) and 1.87 times (95% CI: 1.13-3.11) higher, respectively, in obese women than in non-obese women. Furthermore, alcohol consumption increased the risk of Luminal A and B subtypes 7.08 (3.40-14.73) and 1.77 (1.07-2.92) times, respectively.

Conclusion: Family history, contraceptive use, obesity and alcohol consumption increased the risk of BC. Obesity and alcohol consumption differentially increased risk of TNBC and Luminal molecular subtypes.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Lifestyle-related risk factors; Menopause; Reproductive risk factors.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brazil / epidemiology
Breast Neoplasms* / complications
Breast Neoplasms* / etiology
Case-Control Studies
Female
Humans
Obesity / complications
Obesity / epidemiology
Receptor, ErbB-2
Receptors, Progesterone
Risk Factors
Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms* / complications
Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms* / etiology

Substances

Receptors, Progesterone
Receptor, ErbB-2