• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.390-398
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze periodic screening behaviors for breast cancer and factors affecting the screening behaviors among hospital nurses. Methods: A total of 461 nurses were recruited from 15 hospitals located in two southern areas of Korea. The Champion's Health Beliefs Model Scale-Korean version and a structured study questionnaire were used for data collection. Data were collected during July and August 2008. Results: Nurses who performed periodic mammography accounted for 15.6% of the total, while 22.8% performed periodic breast self-examination (BSE). Among married nurses, the rates of periodic mammography and BSE were significantly different by age, menopausal status, delivery experience, family history of breast cancer, and experiences of cervical cancer screening. Significant factors affecting periodic mammography were family history of breast cancer, experiences of cervical cancer screening, age above 40, and performance of periodic BSE. For health beliefs, levels of severity, confidentiality and barrier were significant factors for periodic BSE. Conclusion: Nurses, who are role models for health promoting behaviors, did not adequately performing periodic BSE and mammography. A health promotion program for breast cancer designed for hospital nurses is needed to improve performance rates for periodic screening behaviors for breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6347-6352
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• 2015

Background: Breast malignancies are one of the leading causes of deaths in females worldwide. There are a number of risk factors associated with breast cancer but in Karachi Pakistan there are insufficient data available. Materials and Methods: A case control study was conducted on females in age group between 30-80 years. This study was accomplished by retrospective data collection in Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 108 females with primary malignancy of breast were included along with 108 matched controls. Relationship of various factors with disease was studied using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals. Results: A total of 14 variables were analyzed and based on and 7 were found to be risk factors: old age, family history of breast cancer, family history of other carcinomas, personal history of breast carcinoma, early age of menarche, older age of mother at first delivery and lower number of children. Five factors, parity, breast feeding, history of oral contraceptive pills intake, past history of oophorectomy and hysterectomy showed protective associations. One variable, use of hormonal replacement therapy, showed a controversial link and one other, marital status, was not significant in this study. Conclusions: It is concluded that most of the well-known risk factors for breast cancer are also associated with the disease in the female population of Karachi, Pakistan. High risk patients should be the focus with the help of this study so that screening can be more effective for early diagnosis before clinically evident breast malignancy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1207-1211
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is by far the most frequent cancer of women (23 % of all cancers), ranking second overall when both sexes are considered together. Contralateral breast cancer (CBC) is becoming an important public health issue because of the increased incidence of primary breast cancer and improved survival. The present communication concerns a study to evaluate the role of various clinico-pathological factors on the occurrence of contralateral breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A detailed analysis was carried out with respect to age, menopausal status, family history, disease stage, surgery performed, histopathology, hormone receptor status, and use of chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. The diagnosis of CBC was confirmed on histopathology report. Relative risk with 95%CI was calculated for different risk factors of contralateral breast cancer development. Results: CBC was found in 24 (4.5%) out of 532 patients. Mean age of presentation was 43.2 years. Family history of breast cancer was found in 37.5% of the patients. There was statistically significant higher rate (83.3%) of CBC in patients in age group of 20-40 years with RR=11.3 (95% CI: 1.4, 89.4, p=0.006) seen in 20-30 years and RR=10.8 (95% CI:1.5-79.6, p=0.002) in 30-40 years as compared to older age of 60-70 years. Risk of development was higher in premenopausal women (RR=8.6, 95% CI: 3.5-21.3, $p{\leq}0.001$). Women with family history of breast cancer had highest rate (20.9%) of CBC (RR=5.4, 95% CI: 2.5-11.6, $p{\leq}0.001$). Use of hormonal therapy in hormone receptor positive patients was protective factor in occurrence of CBC but not significant (RR=0.7, 95% CI: 0.3-1.5, p=0.333). Conclusions: Younger age, premenopausal status, and presence of family history were found to be significant risk factors for the development of CBC. Use of hormonal therapy in hormone receptor positive patients might be protective against occurrence of CBC but did not reach significance.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2717-2720
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• 2012

Background: The rates of breast cancer have increased over the past two decades, and this raises concern about physical, psychological and social well-being of women with breast cancer. Further, few women really want to do breast cancer screening. We here investigated the socio-demographic correlates of mammography participation among 400 asymptomatic Iranian women aged between 35 and 69. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the four outpatient clinics of general hospitals in Tehran during the period from July through October, 2009. Bi-variate analyses and multi-variate binary logistic regression were employed to find the socio-demographic predictors of mammography utilization among participants. Results: The rate of mammography participation was 21.5% and relatively high because of access to general hospital services. More women who had undergone mammography were graduates from university or college, had full-time or part-time employment, were insured whether public or private, reported a positive family history of breast cancer, and were in the middle income level (all P<0.01).The largest number of participating women was in the age range of 41 to 50 years. The results of multivariate logistic regression further showed that education (95%CI: 0.131-0.622), monthly income (95%CI: 0.038-0.945), and family history of breast cancer (95%CI: 1.97-9.28) were significantly associated (all P<0.05) with mammography participation. Conclusions: The most important issue for a successful screening program is participation. Using a random sample, this study found that the potential predictor variables of mammography participation included a higher education level, a middle income level, and a positive family history of breast cancer for Iranian women, after adjusting for all other demographic variables in the model.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2841-2846
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• 2014

Background: When dealing with breast cancer, early detection is closely associated with determining and closely monitoring high risk groups. The aim of this study was to determine the preventable risk factors that are specific for our country, and to understand which risk factors were most predominant. Materials and Methods: The study was planned as a case-control design. Women diagnosed with breast cancer who visited the Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Radiation Oncology outpatient clinics of the Izmir Dokuz Eylul University (DEU) School of Medicine were accepted as the case group. Then a control group matched for age was established among females who visited the outpatient clinics on the same days. A questionnaire prepared by the researchers was implemented using a face-to-face interview technique. The Mann-Whitney U test was used in the comparisons of the group averages, and the Pearson chi-square test in the comparisons between groups. In order to determine the dominant risk factors, binary logistical regression test was implemented. Results: A total of 138 patients, 69 cases and 69 controls, were included in the study. A significant difference can be detected between the groups in terms of BMI, smoking, breast cancer prevalence among first degree family members, presence of breast cancer among distant family members, existence of other types of cancers among family members and the age of onset of menopause (p<0.05). Logistical regression analysis revealed that the presence of breast cancer among first degree relatives increased the risk of developing breast cancer 5.7 times. Conclusions: Although some results of this study are compatible with findings in the literature, some are not. In order to determine unique risk factors, there is a clear need for large-scale studies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.9021-9025
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among females in Turkey. Predictors affecting the breast self-examination (BSE) performance vary in developing countries. Objective: To determine the frequency of BSE performance and predictors of self-reported BSEs among women in the capital city of Turkey. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 376 Turkish women using a self-administered questionnaire covering socio-demographic variables and BSE-related features. Results: Of the participants, 78.7% (N=296) reported practicing BSE, whereas 9.5% (N=28) were implementing BSE regularly on a monthly basis, and only 5.7% (N=17) were performing BSE regularly within a week after each menstrual cycle. Multivariate logistic regression modeling revealed that BSE performance was more likely in younger age groups [20-39 years] (p=0.018, OR=3.215) and [40-49 years] (p=0.009, OR=3.162), women having a family history of breast disease (p=0.038, OR=2.028), and housewives (p=0.013, OR=0.353). Conclusions: Although it appears that the rates of BSE performers are high, the number of women conducting appropriate BSE on a regular time interval basis is lower than expected. Younger age groups, family history of breast diseases and not being employed were identified as significant predictors of practicing BSE appropriately. Older age and employment were risk factors for not performing BSE in this sample.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6531-6534
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• 2014

Background: In Iran, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women and a major public health problem. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out to determine knowledge on breast cancer and breast self-examination (BSE) practices of 384 females living in the city of Hamadan, Iran. A purposive sampling method was adopted and data were collected via face-to-face interviews based on a validated questionnaire developed for this study. Results: Among respondents 268 (69.8%) were married and 144 (37.5%) of the respondents reported having a family history of breast cancer. One hundred respondents (26.0%) claimed they practiced BSE. Level of breast cancer knowledge was significantly associated with BSE practice (p=0.000). There was no association with demographic details (p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings showed that Iranian women's knowledge regarding breast cancer and the practice of BSE is inadequate. Targeted education should be implemented to improve early detection of breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7381-7383
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• 2013

Background: Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all cancer in men and only around 1% of all diagnosed breast cancer. Despite a significant raise in the last 25 years, it still remains a rare disease. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study from 2004-2011 with 21 male breast cancer patients. We aimed to analyze the epidemiologic data (age, personal and family history), tumor characteristics (size, histological type, location, TNM stage, receptors), surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and survival (relapse, follow up, death) who reffered to our center with breast cancer. Results: The median age was $49.2{\pm}14.2$ years (range 30-83 years). A family history of breast cancer was noted in four cases. The main clinical complaint was a retroareolar mass in 85.7%of patients (n=18). Histologically, 85.7% (n=18)were invasive ductal carcinoma and 4.7% (n=1) had ductal carcinoma in situ and 9.4% (n=2) had mixed histology including invasive medullary and ductal carcinoma. Hormonal therapy was delivered to 16 cases (76.1%) due to ER or PR positivity. During median follow up of 30 months (3-84 month), distant metastases were evident in 4 cases (19%). During the follow-up period, only one patient died due to metastatic disease. The mean time to recurrence detection was 30 months. Conclusions: The percentage of cases of male breast cancer is very low compared to breast cancer in females, explaining why very few investigations have been conducted in Iran. Limited coverage in the literature make gender-specific findings difficult so future research of this entity involving multi-institutional cooperation and longer follow up is essential to provide new insights about the biological and clinical factors of this rare cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1175-1179
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• 2015

Background: Expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is up-regulated in human cancers. The aim of present study was to investigate the role of MMP-9 C-1562T polymorphism and its interaction with MMP-2 C-735T polymorphism in susceptibility to breast cancer in a population from Western Iran with Kurdish ethnic background. Materials and Methods: The study sample of 205 individuals consisted of 101 breast cancer patients and 104 healthy subjects. MMP-9 C-1562T and MMP-2 C-735T variants were identified using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Results: Among 67.4% of studied patients the breast cancer developed in the third and forth decades of the life. The frequency of MMP-9 T allele was 17.3% in patients and 10.1% in controls. The presence of T allele significantly increased the risk of breast cancer by 1.87-fold [OR=1.87 (95% CI 1.05-3.33, p=0.035)]. The frequency of MMP-9 CT+TT genotype tended to be higher in those patients with a family history of cancer in first degree-relatives (36.8%) than those without a family history (28.3%, p=0.37). We observed an interaction between the MMP-9 -1562 T allele with MMP-2 -735 C allele that significantly increased the risk of breast cancer [OR=1.42 (95% CI 1.02-1.98, p=0.036)]. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that MMP-9 C-1562T polymorphism alone and in combination with MMP-2 C-735T polymorphism increased the risk of breast cancer that might be a useful biomarker in identifying women at risk of developing breast cancer. Also, this study revealed that in most women from Western Iran breast cancer presents in third and fourth decades of life.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2001

We performed case-control study to evaluate relationship between food intake and risk of breast cancer. We interviewed breast cancer cases(n=108) who were newly histologically identified and selected from Hanyang and Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul. We used hospital-based control subjects(n=121), who were selected from the patients in the department of plastic surgery, general surgery and opthalmology of the same hospital by frequency matching. Matching variables were age($\pm$4 age) and menopausal status. We collected information on general characteristics of subjects, history of disease, family history of breast cancer, vitamin supplementation, alcohol intake, and food intake through individual interview. Dietary information was ascertained via a food frequency questionnaire method(total item=98). All analyses was conducted according to menopausal status. Especially, pepper and grape intake in premenopausal women, showed protective effect in breast cancer. Otherwise consumption of meat, pork, and fish was not associated with breast cancer risk in this study. At milk and dairy products, milk intake was associated with lower risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women and overall intake of soy products was associated with breast cancer risk, but not significant. These findings suggested that consumption of some fruit and vegetable intake was a protective factor on breast cancer and further study with more number of subjects should be need to evaluate the breast cancer risk. (Korean J Nutrition 34(2): 165~175, 2001)