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. 2001 Mar;119(2):62-6.
doi: 10.1590/s1516-31802001000200005.

Height, weight, weight change and risk of breast cancer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A B de Vasconcelos  1 , G Azevedo e Silva Mendonça, R Sichieri
Affiliations

Height, weight, weight change and risk of breast cancer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A B de Vasconcelos et al. Sao Paulo Med J. 2001 Mar.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Context: The relationship between body size and breast cancer still remains controversial in considering menopausal status.

Objective: To evaluate the association of height, weight and weight changes with breast cancer in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).

Sample: 177 incident cases of invasive breast cancer admitted to the main hospital of INCA between May 1995 and February 1996, and 377 controls recruited from among female visitors to the same hospital.

Main measurements: Height and weight were measured and information on maximum weight, weight at ages 18 and 30 years, and potential risk factors were ascertained by interview at the hospital.

Results: Height was not related to risk of breast cancer among both pre and postmenopausal women. Nevertheless, women in this study were shorter than in studies that have found a positive association. Premenopausal women in the upper quartile of recent body mass index (BMI) and maximum BMI showed a reduced risk of breast cancer (P for trend < or = 0.03). Weight loss between ages 18 and 30 years and from 18 years to present was also associated with breast cancer among premenopausal women.

Conclusions: These findings may merely indicate the known association between leanness and breast cancer. Further studies should explore the role of weight loss on breast cancer risk.

CONTEXTO:: A relação entre o peso corporal e o câncer de mama ainda permanece controversa ao ser considerado o estado menopausal.

OBJETIVO:: Avaliar a associação entre altura, peso e modificações no peso corporal com câncer de mama no município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

LOCAL:: Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil/ Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).

POPULAÇÃO DE ESTUDO:: 177 casos incidentes de câncer de mama invasivo admitidas no principal hospital do INCA, entre maio de 1995 e fevereiro de 1996, e 377 controles recrutados entre mulheres que visitavam pacientes no mesmo hospital.

COLETA DE DADOS:: Foram aferidos peso e altura e as informações sobre peso máximo, peso aos 18 e 30 anos, fatores de risco potenciais relacionados à história familiar de câncer de mama, história reprodutiva e escolaridade foram obtidas através de entrevista realizada no próprio hospital.

RESULTADOS:: A altura não se mostrou relacionada ao risco de câncer de mama entre as mulheres pré e pós-menopausa; entretanto, as mulheres estudadas apresentaram estaturas inferiores às relatadas em estudos que reportaram associação. Entre as mulheres na pré-menopausa o índice de massa corporal (IMC) recente e o IMC máximo associou-se negativamente ao risco de câncer de mama (P da tendência ≤ 0,03). Perda de peso entre os 18 e 30 anos de idade e entre os 18 anos e a idade presente foi associada com o aparecimento de câncer de mama antes da menopausa.

CONCLUSÕES:: Esses achados podem indicar, meramente, a conhecida associação entre magreza e câncer de mama. Estudos futuros deveriam explorar o papel da perda de peso para o risco de câncer de mama.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interest

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