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Reproductive and hormonal factors associated with mammographic breast density by age (United States)

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Abstract

Objectives: We determined the association of certain reproductive and hormonal factors with breast density over decades of life.

Methods: Subjects were women age 20–79 years who had a screening mammogram between 1 June 1996 and 1 August 1997, in Seattle, Washington. Women with increased breast density (upper two categories of BI-RADS terminology) (n = 14,432) were compared to those with fatty breasts (lower two categories (n = 14,552). Unconditional logistic regression was used with adjustment for age at mammogram, parity, age at first birth, menopausal status, current use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and body mass index.

Results: The association of nulliparity with density was evident for women at all ages (odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.5 (1.3–1.7) and 1.6 (1.4–1.9) for women age ≤45 and >65, respectively). Older age at first birth was more strongly associated with density among women >55 than among younger women. The association of current use of HRT with density, but not of former use, increased with age when compared to never users (OR = 1.4 (1.2–1.7) and 2.2 (2.0–2.5) for women age 46–55 and >65, respectively).

Conclusions: Results suggest that pregnancy at an early age has a permanent beneficial association with density, while HRT has a transitory adverse association.

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El-Bastawissi, A.Y., White, E., Mandelson, M.T. et al. Reproductive and hormonal factors associated with mammographic breast density by age (United States). Cancer Causes Control 11, 955–963 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026514032085

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