Breast cancer risk predictions by birth cohort and ethnicity in a population-based screening mammography program

Abstract

Objectives: To examine whether birth cohorts affect the risk of breast cancer for East Asian, First Nations, African, South Asian and Caucasian ethnicities in British Columbia (BC). Methods: We used Cox PH models adjusted for well-known risk factors, such as age, breast density, mammographic features on false positives, and family history, to examine risk of breast cancer among East Asian, First Nations, African and South Asian ethnicities, relative to Caucasian, across three birth cohorts. Results: There were 813,280 participants and 11,166 in situ and invasive breast cancer diagnoses. East Asians screened in BC were found to have a lower risk of breast cancer in the birth cohort born pre-1946 compared to Caucasian, but there was no statistically significant decrease for East Asians born after 1946. First Nations had an increased risk of breast cancer compared with Caucasian for all birth cohorts ranging from 1.1 to 2.0x the risk, which was statistically significant for those born after 1965. South Asians showed a statistically significant decrease in risk ranging from 0.58 to 0.81x lower compared with Caucasians for all birth cohorts. Conclusion: Risk of breast cancer for South Asians living in BC was found to be lower than Caucasians for each birth cohort examined, while East Asians had a comparable risk of breast cancer, First Nations had a consistently higher risk than Caucasians. Advances in knowledge: When accounting for birth cohort, compared to Caucasians, South Asians have a decreased risk, First Nations have an increased risk, and East Asians have a similar risk of breast cancer.