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. 2009 Apr 14;100(9):1486–1491. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605025

Table 1. Baseline characteristics of 2640 postmenopausal Swedish women diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993–1995, by body mass index.

  BMI
 
  <25 25–30 >30 P-value
No. of cases 1267 997 376  
         
Mean
 Age at diagnosis (years) 62.4 64.0 64.7 <0.0001
 Parity 1.8 1.9 1.8 0.34
 Age at first birth (years) 25.5 25.3 25.3 0.68
 Age at menopausea (years) 50.5 50.7 50.4 0.88
 Current alcohol intake, g day−1 2.9 2.3 1.7 <0.0001
         
Frequency (%)
 High socioeconomic statusb 54 47 39 <0.0001
Ever HRT
  Ever oestrogen alone 14 10 7 0.0005
  Ever oestrogen–progestin 30 15 12 <0.0001
 Current smoker 30 18 13 <0.0001
 Recent mammographyc 65 60 64 0.64
 Detection by screening 57 63 65 0.012
Primary treatment
  Surgery 99 100 99 0.86
  Chemotherapy 8 9 11 0.15
  Antioestrogenic therapy 54 51 57 0.30
  Radiotherapy 64 62 63 0.96
 Deceased at end of follow-up 24 24 35 0.0003
Cause of death
  Breast cancer 15 15 21 0.0008
  Other cause 9 9 14 0.0014

BMI=body mass index (kg m−2); HRT=hormone replacement therapy.

P-value: two sided t-test for means and χ2-test for the frequencies comparing BMI >30 vs BMI <25.

a

Among women with a natural menopause.

b

High level includes medium- and high-level white collar workers.

c

Mammography within 2 years and 2 months before diagnosis.