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Breast cancer risk and lifetime leisure-time and occupational physical activity (Sweden)

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Abstract

Objective: To clarify whether type and timing of physical activity affect postmenopausal breast cancer risk.

Methods: In a population-based case–control study within the Swedish female population 50–74 years of age, 3347 women with invasive, postmenopausal breast cancer (84% of all eligible) and 3455 controls (82% of all selected) reported on past leisure-time physical activity. Record linkage to decennial census data (1960–1990) provided estimates of their occupational physical activity. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated by multivariate logistic regression.

Results: After adjustment for potential confounders, women in sedentary occupations during their reproductive years (25–44 years of age) had a 50% higher risk for postmenopausal breast cancer, compared to those with the physically most demanding jobs. Only the most recent leisure-time physical activity was associated with a significant risk reduction. Women with the combination of sedentary jobs and lack of leisure-time exercise had a three-fold higher risk of breast cancer, compared to the physically most active both inside and outside the workplace.

Conclusion: Effects of occupational and leisure-time physical activity on breast cancer risk appear to have different latency times, and/or to be effect-modified by age or reproductive status. Although chance might explain our findings, it is advisable to consider type and timing of physical activity in future studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, PO Box 281, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden;

    Tahereh Moradi, Olof Nyrén, Cecilia Magnusson, Ingemar Persson & Hans-Olov Adami

  2. Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Matthew Zack

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Center for Cancer Prevention, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Hans-Olov Adami

Authors
  1. Tahereh Moradi
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  2. Olof Nyrén
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  4. Cecilia Magnusson
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  5. Ingemar Persson
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  6. Hans-Olov Adami
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Moradi, T., Nyrén, O., Zack, M. et al. Breast cancer risk and lifetime leisure-time and occupational physical activity (Sweden). Cancer Causes Control 11, 523–531 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008900512471

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