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Incidence and risk factors associated with bilateral breast cancer in area with early age diagnosis but low incidence of primary breast cancer: analysis of 10-year longitudinal cohort in Taiwan

  • Epidemiology
  • Published:
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Summary

This study aims to examine the incidence and risk factors of bilateral breast cancer in area with low incidence rate. A total of 120 and 1902 women with bilateral and unilateral breast cancers were enrolled; various factors, including those concerning their medical history and life style, were extracted. Using Kaplan–Meier method, we calculate the cumulative incidence of contralateral breast cancer. The results show as follows. The cumulative incidences of contralateral breast cancer at 1, 3, 5 years after diagnosis of first breast cancer were 1.15, 1.94, and 2.97%, respectively. The statistically significant risk factors included menopause (Hazard Ratio (HR) =1.56, (1.00–2.42)), invasive lobular carcinoma (HR=2.98, (1.35–6.56)), receiving chemotherapy (HR=2.21, (1.43–3.42)) and/or radiotherapy (HR=3.32, (2.19–5.05) and a protective factor was tamoxifen therapy (HR=0.5 (0.34–0.74). Size of the second occurred tumour (2.97 cm) tended to be smaller than the first one (3.58 cm) with borderline statistical significance (p=0.0731). Comparing to the existing data on Western countries, we find a higher risk for developing contralateral breast cancer in Taiwan where a low incidence of first breast cancer rate with early age diagnosis is noted. It suggests that first primary breast tumour with early age of onset and lobular carcinoma are found more likely to develop bilateral breast cancers.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grant (NSC-89-2314-B385-002, NSC-89-2314-B385-003 and NSC-90-2314-B385-001) from National Science Council, Taipei, Taiwan and Foundation of Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Taiwan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Wen-Hung Kuo, Po-Huang Lee, Kai-Mo Chen & King-Jen Chang

  2. Institute of Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Amy Ming-Fang Yen & Tony Hsiu-Hsi Chen

  3. Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Ming-Feng Hou

  4. Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Shin-Cheh Chen

  5. Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei, Taiwan

    King-Jen Chang

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  1. Wen-Hung Kuo
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Correspondence to King-Jen Chang.

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Tony Hsiu-Hsi Chen and King-Jen Chang equally contributed to this article.

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Kuo, WH., Yen, A.MF., Lee, PH. et al. Incidence and risk factors associated with bilateral breast cancer in area with early age diagnosis but low incidence of primary breast cancer: analysis of 10-year longitudinal cohort in Taiwan. Breast Cancer Res Treat 99, 221–228 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-006-9194-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-006-9194-z

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