Retrospective assessment of menstrual cycle length in patients with breast cancer, in patients with benign breast disease, and in women without breast disease

• The length of the menstrual cycle was compared in women with breast cancer, women with benign breast disease, and controls. Older women in general tended to report shorter menstrual cycles (P < 0.05). After correction for the age difference, breast cancer patients still reported a shorter average menstrual cycle length than benign breast disease patients and controls (P < 0.006). Very short cycles (≤21 days) were present in 20% of the breast cancer patients compared to 8% of the patients with benign breast disease and 4% of the controls (P < 0.0001). Long cycles (≥30 days) were not a feature of breast cancer patients (2%), whereas 20% of the patients with benign breast disease and 28% of the controls reported such long cycles (P < 0.0001). Irregular menstrual cycles were more common in benign breast disease patients (20%) than in cancer patients (10%) and controls (8%) (P < 0.001).

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)