Breast cancer risk factors in Korean women: a literature review.

AIM

To compile a complete list of risk factors from the Korean breast cancer studies to obtain relevant predictor information essential in developing a predictive model for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed female cancer in Korea. However, the breast cancer-screening rate in Korea is relatively low compared with that in other countries. In order to promote early health screening, there is a need to identify those individuals who are most likely to develop breast cancer by using an accurate predictive model.

METHODS

Thirty-four breast cancer studies were selected from MEDLINE and two Korean literature databases. Two researchers summarized the risk factors and their effects in each article using a checklist.

FINDINGS

Most of the studies were case-control studies conducted after 2000. In 34 articles, a total of 84 risk factors for breast cancer in Korean women were identified; of these, 58 factors were determined as statistically significant factors. The factors identified most often were body mass index, menarche, menopause, family history, pregnancy and delivery, breastfeeding, alcohol use, smoking habits, diet, education and use of oral contraceptives. None of 34 studies looked at stress as a risk factor of which influence on cancer has been reported in other populations.

CONCLUSION

The next steps will be to construct a questionnaire consisting of relevant variables based on these study results and to develop a predictive model. This would be used to encourage those Koreans who are more likely to develop breast cancer to have early check-ups.