| This summary table contains detailed information about research studies. While viewing summary tables offers an informative glimpse at the science behind many breast cancer guidelines and recommendations, they should be viewed with some caution. There are a number of concepts you must understand to be able to successfully read and interpret research tables. To get some background information about understanding research tables, please see How to Read a Research Table. |
Introduction: Age at menopause is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer. Compared to women who go through menopause at an earlier age, those who go through it later have a moderately increased risk of breast cancer.
Find more information on the strengths and weaknesses of different types of studies.
See how this risk factor compares with other risk factors for breast cancer.
Study selection criteria: Prospective cohort studies and pooled analyses.
Table note: Relative risk above 1 indicates increased risk. Relative risk below 1 indicates decreased risk.
Study
|
Study Population
(number of
participants)
|
Follow-up
(years)
|
Age Categories Compared
|
Relative Risk of Breast Cancer in Women with Late Compared to Early Age at Menopause,
RR (95% CI)
|
Prospective cohort studies
|
E3N cohort study-France [1]
|
91,260
|
6.4*
|
50-54 vs. <40
|
1.67
(1.01-2.76)
|
| |
|
|
>=55 vs. <40
|
2.25
(1.31-3.87)
|
Kvale et al. [2]
|
63,090
|
19
|
55 vs. 45
|
1.34Sig
|
Nurses' Health Study [3]
|
58,520
|
14
|
55 vs. 45
|
1.44
(1.26-1.64)
|
Iowa Women's Health Study [4]
|
36,658
|
16
|
>=50 vs. <49
|
1.26
(1.06-1.49)†
|
Japan Public Health-based Prospective Study [5]
|
32,440
|
10.2
|
>=54 vs. <48
|
1.98
(1.12-3.52)
|
Dutch DOM cohort [6]
|
10,591
|
19
|
≥ 55 vs. ≤ 44
|
1.52Sig
|
Mertens et al. [7]
|
7,994
|
13.1
|
>=50 vs. <=44
|
1.25
(0.91-1.71)
|
De Stavola et al. [8]
|
6,706
|
10-21
|
> 51 vs. < 49
|
3.2
(1.5-6.9)
|
Pooled analyses
|
CGHFBC [9]
|
161,116
|
|
55 vs. 45
|
1.29Sig
|
Sig = Statistically significant.
*Follow-up time estimated from person-years.
†For women aged 75-84 at diagnosis. For younger age groups, although risk was not statistically significant, the trend for increasing age was significant at p<0.07.
References
1. Clavel-Chapelon F, E3N Group. Cumulative number of menstrual cycles and breast cancer risk: results from the E3N cohort study of French women. Cancer Causes Control. 13(9):831-8, 2002.
2. Kvale G, Heuch I. Menstrual factors and breast cancer risk. Cancer. 62(8):1625-1631, 1988.
3. Colditz GA and Rosner B. Cumulative risk of breast cancer to age 70 years according to risk factor status: data from the Nurses' Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 152(10):950-64, 2000.
4. Sweeney C, Blair CK, Anderson KE, et al. Risk factors for breast cancer in elderly women. Am J Epidemiol. 160(9):868-75, 2004.
5. Iwasaki M, Otani T, Inoue M, Sasazuki S, Tsugane S for the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study Group. Role and impact of menstrual and reproductive factors on breast cancer risk in Japan. Eur J Cancer Prev. 16(2):116-23, 2007.
6. Monninkhof EM, van der Schouw YT, Peeters PHM. Early age at menopause and breast cancer: are leaner women more protected? A prospective analysis of the Dutch DOM cohort. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 55:285-291, 1999.
7. Mertens AJ, Sweeney C, Shahar E, et al. Physical activity and breast cancer incidence in middle-aged women: a prospective cohort study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 97(2):209-14, 2006.
8. De Stavola BL, Wang DY, Allen DS, et al. The association of height, weight, menstrual and reproductive events with breast cancer: results from two prospective studies on the island of Guernsey (United Kingdom). Cancer Causes Control. 4(4):331-340, 1993.
9. Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer. Breast cancer and hormone replacement therapy: collaborative reanalysis of data from 51 epidemiological studies of 52,705 women with breast cancer and 108,411 women without breast cancer. Lancet. 11;350(9084):1047-59, 1997.
Updated 09/12/09
