Growth Rate in Childhood and Adolescence and Risk of Breast and Prostate Cancer: A Population-Based Study

Am J Epidemiol. 2021 Oct 13:kwab250. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwab250. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTGrowth rate is regulated by hormonal pathways that might affect early cancer development. We explored the association between rate of growth in height from age 8 to 13 (childhood) years and from age 13 to height at study entry (adolescence), and risk of breast and prostate cancer. Participants were 2,037 Icelanders born 1915 - 1935, who took part in the Reykjavik Study established 1967. Height measures were obtained from school records and at study entry. We used multivariable Cox regression models to calculate hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals of breast and prostate cancer by rates of growth in tertiles. During a mean follow-up of 66 years (women) and 64 years (men), 117 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 118 men with prostate cancer (45 w/advanced). Women in the highest tertile of growth rate in adolescence had increased risk of breast cancer, hazard ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.3, 4.3, compared with women in the lowest tertile. A suggestive inverse association was observed for highest adolescent rate of growth in men and advanced prostate cancer, hazard ratio 0.4, 95% confidence interval: 0.2, 1.0. Rapid growth, particularly in adolescence may affect cancer risk later in life.PMID:34643238 | DOI:10.1093/aje/kwab250

Source: Am J Epidemiol - October 13, 2021 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Alfheidur Haraldsdottir Laufey Steingrimsdottir Gertraud Maskarinec Hans-Olov Adami Thor Aspelund Unnur A Valdimarsdottir Ragnar Bjarnason Inga Thorsdottir Thorhallur I Halldorsson Ingibjorg Gunnarsdottir Laufey Tryggvadottir Vilmundur Gudnason Bryndis E Source Type: research