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Table 3 Beta coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of host, reproductive, and lifestyle factors with quantitative tissue composition metrics among the 4108 women who donated normal breast tissue to the US-based Susan G Komen Tissue Bank that were included in the current study

From: Host, reproductive, and lifestyle factors in relation to quantitative histologic metrics of the normal breast

Characteristic

Epithelium (%)

Stroma (%)

Adipose tissue (%)

Fibroglandular tissue (%)

Epithelium-to-stroma proportion (%)

β (95% CI)

P value

β (95% CI)

P value

β (95% CI)

P value

β (95% CI)

P value

β (95% CI)

P value

Age, years

 − 0.013 (− 0.016; − 0.010)

 < 0.0001

 − 0.032(− 0.040; − 0.024)

 < 0.0001

0.028 (0.022; 0.033)

 < 0.0001

 − 0.035 (− 0.043; − 0.027)

 < 0.0001

 − 0.001 (− 0.006; 0.004)

0.641

Race/ethnicity

Non-Hispanic Caucasian

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Black/African American

0.084 (0.013; 0.154)

0.021

0.038 (− 0.152; 0.227)

0.697

 − 0.029 (− 0.161; 0.103)

0.670

0.066 (− 0.129; 0.261)

0.506

0.121 (− 0.005; 0.248)

0.060

Asian/Other

 − 0.034 (− 0.127; 0.058)

0.469

 − 0.152 (− 0.400; 0.095)

0.227

0.049 (− 0.124; 0.222)

0.581

 − 0.152 (− 0.407; 0.103)

0.243

0.133 (− 0.032; 0.299)

0.115

Education

High school/GED or less

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Vocation/tech school or associates degree

 − 0.024 (− 0.116; 0.067)

0.603

 − 0.302 (− 0.547; − 0.058)

0.015

0.286 (0.115; 0.457)

0.001

 − 0.306 (− 0.557; − 0.054)

0.017

 − 0.030 (− 0.193; 0.133)

0.720

College degree

 − 0.019 (− 0.101; 0.061)

0.629

 − 0.169 (− 0.385; 0.047)

0.125

0.166 (0.015; 0.317)

0.031

 − 0.175 (− 0.397; 0.048)

0.124

 − 0.034 (− 0.178; 0.110)

0.643

Graduate/professional degree

0.021 (− 0.064; 0.108)

0.620

 − 0.226 (− 0.456; 0.004)

0.054

0.212 (0.052; 0.373)

0.010

 − 0.211 (− 0.447; 0.026)

0.080

0.057 (− 0.097; 0.210)

0.467

Other

 − 0.038 (− 0.149; 0.074)

0.508

 − 0.083 (− 0.381; 0.216)

0.587

0.129 (− 0.080; 0.337)

0.226

 − 0.099 (− 0.406; 0.208)

0.528

 − 0.140 (− 0.340; 0.059)

0.168

Smoking

Never

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Former

 − 0.076 (− 0.143; − 0.008)

0.028

0.005 (− 0.176; 0.186)

0.954

 − 0.029 (− 0.155; 0.098)

0.654

 − 0.007 (− 0.193; 0.179)

0.958

 − 0.069 (− 0.190; 0.052)

0.263

Current

 − 0.035 (− 0.183; 0.113)

0.647

0.105 (− 0.291; 0.500)

0.605

 − 0.111 (− 0.387; 0.165)

0.431

0.089 (− 0.318; 0.496)

0.665

0.047 (− 0.217; 0.311)

0.729

Currently drink alcohol

No

Ref (1.00)

         

Yes

 − 0.030 (− 0.087; 0.028)

0.313

0.046 (− 0.108; 0.200)

0.555

 − 0.036 (− 0.143; 0.072)

0.517

0.037 (− 0.121; 0.196)

0.645

 − 0.080 (− 0.183; 0.023)

0.128

Average number of alcoholic drinks per week

 < 1

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

1–6

 − 0.010 (− 0.119; 0.100)

0.863

0.288 (− 0.006; 0.581)

0.055

 − 0.153 (− 0.358; 0.052)

0.145

0.281 (− 0.022; 0.583)

0.069

 − 0.282 (− 0.478; − 0.086)

0.005

 ≥ 7

 − 0.074 (− 0.223; 0.075)

0.329

0.249 (− 0.148; 0.646)

0.220

 − 0.096 (− 0.374; 0.181)

0.495

0.214 (− 0.194; 0.623)

0.304

 − 0.398 (− 0.663; − 0.133)

0.003

Body mass index

 < 25

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

25–29

 − 0.126 (− 0.196; − 0.057)

 < 0.0001

 − 0.689 (− 0.873; − 0.503)

 < 0.0001

0.508 (0.379; 0.638)

 < 0.0001

 − 0.702 (− 0.892; − 0.512)

 < 0.0001

0.182 (0.059; 0.306)

0.004

 ≥ 30

 − 0.171 (− 0.237; − 0.106)

 < 0.0001

 − 1.061 (− 1.234; − 0.888)

 < 0.0001

0.773 (0.652; 0.894)

 < 0.0001

 − 1.074 (− 1.253; − 0.897)

 < 0.0001

0.323 (0.208; 0.439)

 < 0.0001

P trend

 

 < 0.0001

 

 < 0.0001

 

 < 0.0001

 

 < 0.0001

 

 < 0.0001

Age at menarche, years

 ≤ 12

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

13

0.024 (− 0.039; 0.086)

0.662

0.108 (− 0.058; 0.275)

0.202

 − 0.120 (− 0.236; − 0.003)

0.044

0.113 (− 0.058; 0.284)

0.197

 − 0.050 (− 0.161; 0.061)

0.379

 ≥ 14

 − 0.015 (− 0.084; 0.055)

0.236

0.166 (− 0.018; 0.350)

0.077

 − 0.110 (− 0.239; 0.018)

0.094

 − 0.158 (0.032; 0.348)

0.102

 − 0.063 (− 0.185; 0.060)

0.318

P trend

 

0.829

 

0.056

 

0.044

 

0.074

 

0.257

Parity

Nulliparous

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Parous

0.187 (0.125; 0.249)

 < 0.0001

0.136 (− 0.030; 0.300)

0.108

 − 0.062 (− 0.177; 0.054)

0.296

0.180 (0.009; 0.350)

0.039

0.187 (0.077; 0.298)

 < 0.0001

Number of live births

0

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

1

0.046 (− 0.117; 0.209)

0.578

 − 0.390 (− 0.821; 0.040)

0.076

0.251 (− 0.039; 0.540)

0.090

 − 0.359 (− 0.804; 0.086)

0.114

0.529 (0.239; 0.812)

 < 0.0001

2

0.150 (− 0.008; 0.308)

0.064

 − 0.488 (− 0.907; − 0.070)

0.022

0.250 (− 0.031; 0.532)

0.081

 − 0.422 (− 0.854; 0.011)

0.056

0.753 (0.471; 1.035)

 < 0.0001

 ≥ 3

0.157 (− 0.010; 0.324)

0.066

 − 0.588 (− 1.030; − 0.147)

0.009

0.315 (0.017; 0.612)

0.038

 − 0.509 (− 0.966; − 0.053)

0.029

0.826 (0.529; 1.123)

 < 0.0001

P trend

 

0.009

 

0.011

 

0.082

 

0.042

 

 < 0.0001

Age at first full-term birth, years

 < 25

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

25–29

 − 0.043 (− 0.150; 0.065)

0.435

 − 0.088 (− 0.371; 0.196)

0.544

0.049 (− 0.142; 0.240)

0.614

 − 0.089 (− 0.382; 0.203)

0.550

0.043 (− 0.148; 0.233)

0.660

 ≥ 30

 − 0.032 (− 0.150; 0.089)

0.591

 − 0.109 (− 0.421; 0.202)

0.491

0.079 (− 0.130; 0.289)

0.457

 − 0.108 (− 0.430; 0.213)

0.508

0.491 (− 0.089; 0.329)

0.260

P trend

 

0.703

 

0.874

 

0.708

 

0.847

 

0.440

Breastfeeding

Never

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ever

0.060 (− 0.019; 0.139)

0.138

0.275 (0.065; 0.485)

0.010

 − 0.151 (− 0.293; − 0.010)

0.036

0.276 (0.059; 0.493)

0.013

 − 0.151 (− 0.292; − 0.010)

0.036

Breastfeeding duration, months

Never

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

 < 12

0.049 (− 0.037; 0.135)

0.260

0.266 (0.039; 0.492)

0.022

 − 0.121 (− 0.273; 0.032)

0.120

0.263 (0.029; 0.497)

0.028

 − 0.151 (− 0.303; 0.002)

0.052

 ≥ 12– < 24

0.051 (− 0.053; 0.154)

0.340

0.288 (0.014; 0.562)

0.039

 − 0.182 (− 0.366; 0.003)

0.054

0.285 (0.002; 0.568)

0.049

 − 0.188 (− 0.372; − 0.004)

0.045

 ≥ 24

0.0105 (− 0.012; 0.222)

0.076

0.305 (− 0.002; 0.613)

0.052

 − 0.225 (0.432; − 0.018)

0.033

0.324 (0.006; 0.642)

0.046

 − 0.136 (− 0.343; 0.071)

0.197

P trend

 

0.085

 

0.035

 

0.015

 

0.033

 

0.134

Bilateral oophorectomy

No

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Yes

 − 0.103 (− 0.213; 0.007)

0.065

 − 0.267 (− 0.600; 0.026)

0.074

0.216 (0.011; 0.420)

0.039

 − 0.283 (− 0.585; 0.019)

0.066

 − 0.109 (− 0.305; 0.087)

0.275

Menopausal status

Premenopausal

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Postmenopausal

 − 0.158 (− 0.244; − 0.072)

 < 0.0001

 − 0.128 (− 0.357; 0.102)

0.276

0.035 (− 0.125; 0.195)

0.667

 − 0.172 (− 0.408; 0.065)

0.154

 − 0.280 (− 0.434; − 0.127)

 < 0.0001

Uterine ablation

0.010 (− 0.156; 0.168)

0.938

 − 0.001 (− 0.435; 0.432)

0.995

 − 0.014 (− 0.316; 0.289)

0.930

0.001 (− 0.445; 0.447)

0.996

 − 0.007 (− 0.297; 0.282)

0.961

Family history of breast cancer

Negative

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Ref (1.00)

 

Positive

0.022 (− 0.044; 0.088)

0.510

 − 0.153 (− 0.329; 0.023)

0.088

0.085 (− 0.038; 0.208)

0.175

 − 0.138 (− 0.320; 0.043)

0.136

0.142 (0.024; 0.260)

0.018

  1. Asian/Other category comprised women who self-identified as Asian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, “Other” Asian, Asian/Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, etc. Parity: parous = women who had previously been pregnant, irrespective of the outcome; nulliparous = women who had never been pregnant. Number of Live Births (0 = previous pregnancies did not result in a live birth). β coefficients and corresponding estimates were obtained using multivariable linear regression models that were mutually adjusted for epidemiological factors. Each tissue composition metric was square root transformed to approximate normality. The overall model included all women whereas breastfeeding, number of live births, and age at first full-term birth were modelled using information restricted to previously parous women. All statistical tests were 2-sided and P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant and are indicated using bold fonts
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Breast Cancer Research

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