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Year:
1999
| Volume: 7
| Issue: 2
| Pages: 55-58
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Original Article |
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BREAST CANCER: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RESEARCH (PRELIMINARY RESULTS)
Miodrag DJORDJEVIC, Momcilo BABIC, Vasilije DRECUN, Miroslav OPRIC, Miroslav GRANIC, Vladimir KOVCIN, Danijela TATOVIC BABIC, Natasa PETROVIC, Darko BABIC |
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DOI:
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Abstract: |
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Background: Breast cancer is an increasing health problem of great epidemiological, clinical, social and economic importance.
Methods: A questionnaire for detection of high-risk women suitable for breast cancer selective screening and chemo-prevention was developed in the Medical Center 'Bezanijska Kosa'. In the first phase of the research, 1.000 women with breast cancer and 3.000 forming the control group (with the same characteristics, but without malignancy) entered a case-control study (7,26). Twenty-seven risk factors were estimated. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis after N.E. Brestlow and N.E. Day was performed in this purpose (4). The parameters were analyzed by relative risk, estimated vector parameter, regression analysis, chi-square test, standard error and odd ratio (26).
Results: The results of the first phase have been used for developing a questionnaire in purpose to identify high-risk groups for screening and a chemo-prevention program, which was the second phase of the research (7). Ten thousand women were questioned. Three groups of women were obtained: women with symptoms, high-risk women and other. All participants were followed-up for five years (27). In the next phase we selected a study group of 138 high-risk women (determined by the mentioned questionnaire) who had atypical hyperplasia in biopsy sample. Women were postmenopausal, older than 50 years and came from the regions in Serbia with the highest breast cancer mortality and morbidity rates. A control group consisted of 190 high-risk women (determined by the mentioned questionnaire, also). Tamoxifen was administered in the study group. A placebo was administered in the control group. The study was introduced in September 1993 and was completed in June 1998. Women from both groups were followed-up for five years.Only one breast cancer (T1 N0 M0) was diagnosed in the study group after a five year follow-up period, which is 0.7% of the group. No side effects were detected. In the control group 18 breast cancers were diagnosed; it is 7.5% of the group. Comparing the results of those two groups (by using chi-square test) we proved a high statistical significance, which shows the effectiveness of tamoxifen.
Conclusion: The number of women who have or die because of breast cancer is increasing with the trend of 10% annually. Considering all these facts we have to organize better primary and secondary breast cancer prevention through specialized oncology centers. Determination of high-risk women for selective screening (27) and a chemo-prevention program with tamoxifen may be an effective way in reaching this goal. |
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Key words:
Breast cancer; Descriptive study; Case-control study; Chemo-prevention |
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