Serum Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Postmenopausal Women

DOI: Published December 2003

Article Figures & Data

Table 1

Characteristics of study subjects

Characteristic	Cases (n = 88)	Controls (n = 168)	P^a
Age at enrollment,^b yr, mean (SD)	58.7 (5.1)	58.8 (5.0)
Age at menarche, yr, mean (SD)	12.8 (1.6)	12.9 (1.5)	0.60
Age at first full-term pregnancy, yr, mean (SD)	24.9 (6.0)	24.8 (4.9)	0.56
Age at menopause, yr, mean (SD)	50.2 (4.4)	48.8 (5.5)	0.06
First-degree family history of breast cancer, n (%)
No	73 (83%)	141 (85%)
Yes	15 (17%)	25 (15%)	0.57
Parity, n (%)
Never pregnant	23 (27%)	29 (17%)
Ever pregnant	63 (73%)	138 (83%)	0.08
Oral contraceptive use, n (%)
Never	62 (70%)	106 (63%)
Ever	12 (14%)	36 (21%)	0.07
Unknown	14 (16%)	26 (16%)
Hormone replacement therapy, n (%)
Never	48 (55%)	106 (63%)
Ever	26 (29%)	42 (25%)	0.34
Unknown	14 (16%)	20 (12%)
Cigarette smoking, n (%)
Never	44 (50%)	69 (41%)
Ever	28 (32%)	65 (39%)	0.08
Unknown	16 (18%)	34 (20%)
Height (cm), mean (SD)	161.0 (7.0)	161.9 (5.7)	0.32
Weight (kg), mean (SD)	66.0 (11.0)	69.9 (13.1)	0.03
Body mass index (kg/m²) mean (SD)	25.4 (3.9)	26.6 (4.5)	0.05

^a Mixed effect linear regression model for continuous variables (after natural log-transformation); conditional logistic regression for categorical variables.
^b Matching criteria.

Table 2

Mean, SD, median, and range of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels among postmenopausal epithelial ovarian cancer cases and controls

Serum FSH, mIU/ml	Cases	Controls	P^a
NYUWHS
n	50	96
Mean (SD)	47.0 (19.1)	44.3 (14.1)	0.57
Median (range)	42.8 (18.3–101.2)	45.4 (13.5–86.9)
NSHDS
n	29	55
Mean (SD)	48.1 (15.6)	42.6 (17.0)	0.13
Median (range)	47.6 (17.4–92.0)	41.2 (17.3–109.5)
ORDET
n	9	17
Mean (SD)	44.0 (19.9)	40.7 (13.5)	0.92
Median (range)	43.7 (13.8–78.5)	41.1 (19.7–82.8)
Total
n	88	168
Mean (SD)	47.1 (18.0)	43.4 (15.0)	0.17
Median (range)	44.0 (13.8–101.2)	42.1 (13.5–109.5)

Table 3

Odds ratios (ORs) of ovarian cancer for tertiles of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in postmenopausal women

Tertiles FSH, mIU/ml	Cases (n = 88)	Controls (n = 168)	OR (95% CI)^a
Tertiles FSH, mIU/ml	Cases (n = 88)	Controls (n = 168)			Unadjusted^b	Adjusted^c
<38.0	28 (32%)	57 (34%)	1.00	1.00
38.0–49.0	28 (32%)	57 (34%)	0.99 (0.52–1.89)	0.89 (0.39–2.02)
>49.0	32 (36%)	54 (32%)	1.19 (0.63–2.24)	0.85 (0.36–1.99)
P _trend			0.59	0.71

^a CI, confidence interval.
^b Analysis matched on age and date of blood donation.
^c Adjusted for age at menarche (continuous), parity (never pregnant, ever pregnant), oral contraceptives use (never, ever), body mass index (continuous, after natural log-transformation), and height (continuous, after natural log-transformation).