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Anthropometric characteristics and mammographic parenchymal patterns in post-menopausal women: a population-based study in Northern Greece

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Abstract

Objective

To examine the effects of various anthropometric determinants on mammographic patterns at postmenopausal ages, accounting for reproductive differences.

Methods

Mammograms from 900 post-menopausal women classified into high- (P2/DY) versus low-density (N1/P1) groups using the Wolfe criteria were associated with changes in body figure, reported and measured height and weight, body mass index, hip, waist and chest circumferences, chest/hip ratio, waist/hip ratio (WHR), breast size, and leg length. Reproductive factors included ages at menarche, first pregnancy and menopause, years since menopause, parity, and breast feeding duration. The study was nested within a large cross-sectional survey of a population-based breast cancer screening program in Northern Greece.

Results

Increasing chest circumference (p = 0.002), change in body build during adulthood to a heavier profile (p = 0.04), and heavy somatotype at age 18 (p = 0.007) were the anthropometric determinants significantly associated with low-density mammographic patterns.

Conclusions

Chest circumference as a measure of upper body fat adiposity appears to be a stronger determinant of mammographic patterns than body fat distribution (measured as WHR). A heavy body build in adulthood is associated with decreased mammographic density. Further studies are necessary to confirm our results, ideally prospective cohorts, looking at the effect of anthropometric determinants on mammographic pattern changes over time and breast cancer risk.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the women of Halkidiki for their willingness in participating in this study as well as all members of the staff of the screening Center “Our Lady Who Loves Mankind” in Ormylia-Halkidiki.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK

    Elena Riza

  2. Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology & Medical Statistics, University of Athens Medical School, 75 Mikras Asias Street, 115 27, Goudi, Athens, Greece

    Elena Riza & Athena Linos

  3. 3 Wycombe General Hospital, Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe, HP11 2TT, UK

    Dionysios-Dennis Remoundos

  4. Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine—Reproductive Sciences, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

    Evangelia Bakali

  5. Department of Radiology, Hippocration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Efi Karadedou-Zafiriadou

  6. 1st Surgical Clinic, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Centre of Athens “Hygeia”, Athens, Greece

    Dimitrios Linos

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  1. Elena Riza
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Riza, E., Remoundos, DD., Bakali, E. et al. Anthropometric characteristics and mammographic parenchymal patterns in post-menopausal women: a population-based study in Northern Greece. Cancer Causes Control 20, 181–191 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9232-8

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