Hormonal factors and pancreatic cancer in women

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate hormonal risk factors for carcinoma of the exocrine pancreas among postmenopausal women. METHODS. Mailed questionnaire data from 52 cases and 233 population-based controls in Ontario were used to assess parity, age at first birth, and other hormonal factors on pancreatic cancer risk. RESULTS: Reduced risk was seen with three or more pregnancies [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.07-0.65] and use of oral contraceptives (adjusted OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.13-0.96), whereas no significant associations were found for age at menarche or menopause, or estrogen replacement therapy. Among parous women, later age at first full-term pregnancy significantly increased the risk of this cancer (adjusted OR = 4.05, 95% CI = 1.50-10.92 for ages 25-29 years, adjusted OR 3.78, 95% CI = 1.02-14.06 for ages 30+ years). CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the hypothesis that pancreatic cancer is, at least in part, an estrogen-dependent disease; there is growing epidemiological evidence that aspects of reproductive history and hormonal exposure are associated with risk of this disease. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.