Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Cancer logoLink to British Journal of Cancer
. 1985 Dec;52(6):885–891. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1985.273

Lower prevalence of breast cancer and cancers of the reproductive system among former college athletes compared to non-athletes.

R E Frisch, G Wyshak, N L Albright, T E Albright, I Schiff, K P Jones, J Witschi, E Shiang, E Koff, M Marguglio
PMCID: PMC1977263  PMID: 4074640

Abstract

The prevalence (lifetime occurrence) rate of cancers of the reproductive system (uterus, ovary, cervix and vagina) and breast cancer was determined for 5,398 living alumnae, 2,622 of whom were former college athletes and 2,776 non-athletes, from data on medical and reproductive history, athletic training and diet. The former athletes had a significantly lower risk of cancer of the breast and reproductive system than did the non-athletes. The relative risk (RR), non-athletes/athletes, for cancers of the reproductive system was 2.53. 95% confidence limits (CL) (1.17, 5.47). The RR for breast cancer was 1.86, 95% CL (1.00, 3.47). The analysis controlled for potential confounding factors including age, family history of cancer, age of menarche, number of pregnancies, use of oral contraceptives, use of oestrogen in the menopausal period, smoking, and leanness. Of the college athletes, 82.4% had been on pre-college teams compared to 24.9% of the college non-athletes. We conclude that long term athletic training may lower the risk of breast cancer and cancers of the reproductive system.

Full text

PDF
885

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Apter D., Vihko R. Early menarche, a risk factor for breast cancer, indicates early onset of ovulatory cycles. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1983 Jul;57(1):82–86. doi: 10.1210/jcem-57-1-82. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cairns J. Mutation selection and the natural history of cancer. Nature. 1975 May 15;255(5505):197–200. doi: 10.1038/255197a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cramer D. W., Welch W. R., Hutchison G. B., Willett W., Scully R. E. Dietary animal fat in relation to ovarian cancer risk. Obstet Gynecol. 1984 Jun;63(6):833–838. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dale E., Gerlach D. H., Wilhite A. L. Menstrual dysfunction in distance runners. Obstet Gynecol. 1979 Jul;54(1):47–53. doi: 10.1097/00006250-197907000-00013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Ellis K. J., Shukla K. K., Cohn S. H., Pierson R. N. A predictor for total body potassium in man based on height, weight, sex and age: applications in metabolic disorders. J Lab Clin Med. 1974 May;83(5):716–727. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fishman J., Boyar R. M., Hellman L. Influence of body weight on estradiol metabolism in young women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1975 Nov;41(5):989–991. doi: 10.1210/jcem-41-5-989. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Forney J. P., Milewich L., Chen G. T., Garlock J. L., Schwarz B. E., Edman C. D., MacDonald P. C. Aromatization of androstenedione to estrone by human adipose tissue in vitro. Correlation with adipose tissue mass, age, and endometrial neoplasia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1981 Jul;53(1):192–199. doi: 10.1210/jcem-53-1-192. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Frisch R. E. Amenorrhoea, vegetarianism, and/or low fat. Lancet. 1984 May 5;1(8384):1024–1024. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)92374-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Frisch R. E., Gotz-Welbergen A. V., McArthur J. W., Albright T., Witschi J., Bullen B., Birnholz J., Reed R. B., Hermann H. Delayed menarche and amenorrhea of college athletes in relation to age of onset of training. JAMA. 1981 Oct 2;246(14):1559–1563. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Frisch R. E., McArthur J. W. Menstrual cycles: fatness as a determinant of minimum weight for height necessary for their maintenance or onset. Science. 1974 Sep 13;185(4155):949–951. doi: 10.1126/science.185.4155.949. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Frisch R. E., Wyshak G., Vincent L. Delayed menarche and amenorrhea in ballet dancers. N Engl J Med. 1980 Jul 3;303(1):17–19. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198007033030105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Grodin J. M., Siiteri P. K., MacDonald P. C. Source of estrogen production in postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1973 Feb;36(2):207–214. doi: 10.1210/jcem-36-2-207. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Hill P., Garbaczewski L., Helman P., Huskisson J., Sporangisa E., Wynder E. L. Diet, lifestyle, and menstrual activity. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 Jun;33(6):1192–1198. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/33.6.1192. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Jick H., Watkins R. N., Hunter J. R., Dinan B. J., Madsen S., Rothman K. J., Walker A. M. Replacement estrogens and endometrial cancer. N Engl J Med. 1979 Feb 1;300(5):218–222. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197902013000502. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Miettinen O. Estimability and estimation in case-referent studies. Am J Epidemiol. 1976 Feb;103(2):226–235. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112220. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Miller A. B., Bulbrook R. D. The epidemiology and etiology of breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 1980 Nov 20;303(21):1246–1248. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198011203032130. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Moore J. W., Clark G. M., Bulbrook R. D., Hayward J. L., Murai J. T., Hammond G. L., Siiteri P. K. Serum concentrations of total and non-protein-bound oestradiol in patients with breast cancer and in normal controls. Int J Cancer. 1982 Jan 15;29(1):17–21. doi: 10.1002/ijc.2910290105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Pike M. C., Henderson B. E., Krailo M. D., Duke A., Roy S. Breast cancer in young women and use of oral contraceptives: possible modifying effect of formulation and age at use. Lancet. 1983 Oct 22;2(8356):926–930. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)90450-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Schneider J., Kinne D., Fracchia A., Pierce V., Anderson K. E., Bradlow H. L., Fishman J. Abnormal oxidative metabolism of estradiol in women with breast cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1982 May;79(9):3047–3051. doi: 10.1073/pnas.79.9.3047. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sherman B., Wallace R., Bean J., Schlabaugh L. Relationship of body weight to menarcheal and menopausal age: implications for breast cancer risk. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1981 Mar;52(3):488–493. doi: 10.1210/jcem-52-3-488. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Siiteri P. K. Extraglandular oestrogen formation and serum binding of oestradiol: relationship to cancer. J Endocrinol. 1981;89 (Suppl):119P–129P. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Warren M. P. The effects of exercise on pubertal progression and reproductive function in girls. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1980 Nov;51(5):1150–1157. doi: 10.1210/jcem-51-5-1150. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Winkelstein W., Jr, Shillitoe E. J., Brand R., Johnson K. K. Further comments on cancer of the uterine cervix, smoking, and herpesvirus infection. Am J Epidemiol. 1984 Jan;119(1):1–8. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113711. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Woodruff M. F., van Rood J. J. Possible implications of the effect of blood transfusion on allograft survival. Lancet. 1983 May 28;1(8335):1201–1203. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)92476-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. de Waard F. Premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer: one disease or two? J Natl Cancer Inst. 1979 Sep;63(3):549–552. doi: 10.1093/jnci/63.3.549. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Cancer are provided here courtesy of Cancer Research UK

RESOURCES