ABSTRACT
Objectives: Recent downward trends in breast cancer incidence have been attributed to declining use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). To determine whether this is a credible conclusion, this study calculated population attributable risk (PAR) for HRT and other modifiable breast cancer risk factors.
Methods: PAR calculation needs both the prevalence of a risk factor, and the relative risk (RR) for breast cancer incidence for that risk factor. Prevalences were calculated for Canadian women, aged 50-69, participating in the National Population Health Survey, 1994-2006. RR were derived from published research: 1.4 for HRT use, 1.4 for excessive alcohol use, 1.15 …