Study: Hispanic Women With Family History of Breast Cancer May Be at Increased Risk

Hispanic women with a family history of breast cancer may have a higher risk than non-Hispanic whites of developing the disease, according to researchers.

Researchers at the University of Southern California, University of New Mexico and Johns Hopkins University, exploring the relationship between breast cancer risk and family history in Hispanic women, examined data from the New Mexico Women's Health Study, a statewide case-control research project.

The study consisted of 712 women (332 Hispanics and 380 non-Hispanic whites) with breast cancer and 844 controls (388 Hispanics and 456 non-Hispanic whites).

Researchers found an increased risk in women with a history of breast cancer in one or more first-degree or second-degree relatives. Hispanic women had higher risk estimates for a positive family history than non-Hispanic white women but the differences were not statistically significant.

In both groups, a higher risk was seen in premenopausal women compared with postmenopausal women and those diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50 compared with older women, according to the study published in Cancer Causes and Control.

Researchers conclude that their results indicate that Hispanic women with a family history of breast cancer are at increased risk of developing the disease.

Other Sources: Cancer Causes and Control