Table 1. Baseline population characteristics of all breast cancer cases diagnosed in Finland during 1995–2003.
| Non-users of any cholesterol-lowering drugs | Statin usersa | Fibrate or resin usersa | |
| n (%) | 26,941 (86.2%) | 4,151 (13.3%) | 313 (1%) |
| Median age at diagnosis (yrs) | 58 | 64 | 65 |
| P-value | Reference | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Age-groupb | |||
| > = 55 years | 15,919 (59.3%) | 3,383 (81.5%) | 249 (79.6%) |
| <55 years | 10,918 (40.7%) | 768 (18.5%) | 64 (20.4%) |
| P-value | Reference | <0.001 | <0.001 |
| Deaths; n (% of the subgroup) | 5,658 (21.0%) | 318 (7.6%) | 50 (16.0%) |
| Breast cancer deaths; n (% of all deaths) | 3,434 (60.7%) | 166 (52.2%) | 27 (54%) |
| Years of follow-up (median; 95% range) | 3.17 (0.08–8.50) | 3.83 (0.08–8.67) | 3.50 (0.25–8.51) |
| Stage at diagnosis: | |||
| Local; n (%) | 22,747 (84.8%) | 3,696 (89.0%) | 277 (88.5%) |
| Metastatic; n (%) | 1,899 (7.1%) | 152 (3.7%) | 11 (3.5%) |
| Unknown | 2,191 (8.2%) | 303 (7.3%) | 25 (8.0%) |
| P-value | Reference | <0.001 | 0.036 |
| Tumor morphology: | |||
| Ductal ca | 20,524 (76.2%) | 3,252 (78%) | 263 (84%) |
| Lobular ca | 4,278 (15.9%) | 643 (15.4%) | 32 (10.2%) |
| Other | 2,139 (7.9%) | 274 (6.6%) | 18 (5.8%) |
| P-value | Reference | 0·005 | 0.002 |
| Treatment selection: | |||
| Any surgery; n (%) | 24,908 (92.5%) | 3,989 (95.7%) | 297 (94.9%) |
| P-value | Reference | 0.003 | NS |
| Any radiation therapy; n (%) | 14,474 (53.7%) | 2,291 (55.0%) | 170 (54.3%) |
| Chemotherapy | 6,367 (23.6%) | 628 (15.1%) | 51 (16.3%) |
| P-value | Reference | <0·001 | 0.012 |
| Hormonal therapy | 6,787 (25.2%) | 849 (20.4%) | 73 (23.3%) |
| P-value | Reference | <0·001 | NS |
| Other therapy | 220 (0.8%) | 17 (0.4%) | 1 (0.3%) |
| P-value | Reference | <0.001 | NS |
a
Any pre-diagnostic or post-diagnostic use.
b
Age cutoffs selected to reflect menopausal status of the majority of women at breast cancer diagnosis.