Women with Scandinavian heritage ha...

Women with Scandinavian heritage have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than women in other Caucasian ethnic assemblages according to a press release from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Women of Irish ancestry had the lowest risk of developing this disease (ie, 353 by 100,000 per year).

Researchers believe this is the first subject of attention to examine breast cancer frequent occurrence among people in Caucasian ethnic clusters Investigators reviewed the health information of 27578 postmenopausal women and discovered that women of Norwegian and Swedish ancestry had the highest rates of breast cancer (ie, 488 by 100,000 per year). According to the release, women of Scandinavian declivity have a 40% greater risk of developing breast cancer than do women of Irish ancestry.

Family history of breast cancer was not associated with increased risk among women of Scandinavian and Irish descending although it appeared to increase the risk among women whose heritage is English, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch German, Southern European, Eastern European, Western European, and Central European, according to the release. Researchers note that the risk of developing this disease associated with family history may vary among ethnic groups

It is too easily to determine if this risk factor will be as important as other factors (eg having no children, having children after 30 years of age), according to the release. Researchers say each woman is at risk for breast cancer and that all women should maintain a healthy lifestyle and have regular clinical breast examinations and mammograms.

"Breast cancer--higher risk for Scandinavians," Mayo Clinic Health Oasis. Available from http:/www.mayohealth.org/ mayo/9907/htm/bcancer.htm. Accessed 6 Oct 1999

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