Risk and protective factors for breast cancer in midwest of Brazil

Abstract

Patterns of physical activity, body composition, and breastfeeding are closely related to health and are influenced by environmental, economic, and social factors. With the increase of sedentary lifestyle and overweight, many chronic diseases have also increased, including cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, and the knowledge of its risk and protective factors is important to the adoption of primary prevention strategies. We aimed to investigate some risk and protective factors for breast cancer among women from Midwest Brazil. It is a case-control study of outpatient basis, carried out with 93 breast cancer cases and 186 controls. Socioeconomic, gynecological, anthropometric, and lifestyle variables were collected, and odds ratios (ORs) values were estimated (significance level, 5%; confidence interval (CI), 95%). Per capita income equal to or lower than 1/2 Brazilian minimum wage (OR = 1.88; CI = 1.06–3.29), residence in rural area (OR = 4.93; CI = 1.65–14.73), and presence of family history of breast cancer (OR = 5.38; CI = 1.46–19.93) are risk factors for breast cancer. In turn, physical activity (past 6 months) (OR = 0.23; CI = 0.10–0.55) and leisure physical activity at 20 years old (OR = 0.13; CI = 0.03–0.54) are protective factors for the disease in women who live in Midwest of Brazil.