Risk factors associated with Breast Cancer and Benign Breast Disease among women in Eastern India: A Hospital Based Study

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers of women in India. This study aimed to identify the risks such as age, menopausal status, age at menopause, age at menarche, parity, lactation, age at first pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives, domicile status, literacy, occupation, duration of symptoms and BMI of breast cancer in comparison with benign breast diseases in females. Methods: In this study 522 BC patients and 522 women with benign breast diseases, who attended at Out Patient Door (OPD) of IPGME&R and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India during the period from January, 2005 to December, 2010 were included. Results: Significant risk of BC was found 4.80 times more for higher age (≥ 35years), 1.34times more for postmenopausal status, 3.57 times more for late menopause women, 2.47 times more for early menarche women, 1.59 times more with nulliparous patients, 1.66 times more for non-breastfeeding women, 5.73 times more for late age of first pregnancy, 3.58 times more for urban women, 8.34 times more for the illiterate women and 4.49 times for the women having breast lump for more than 06 months Discussion: Several risk factors which had already been established by researchers. But the studies were based on different populations of different geographical areas. This study is based on the females of eastern India. Thus the risk factors established through this study may help for early detection and prevention of BC in this region.