Night work and risk of breast cancer
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Melatonin shows potential oncostatic activity and is acutely suppressed by light exposure. Some evidence suggests an association between night work and breast cancer risk, possibly through the melatonin pathway. METHODS: In a cohort of premenopausal nurses, we prospectively studied the relation between rotating night shift work and breast cancer risk. Total number of months during which the nurses worked rotating night shifts was first assessed at baseline in 1989 and periodically updated thereafter. We used Cox proportional hazards models to calculate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Among 115,022 women without cancer at baseline, 1,352 developed invasive breast cancer during 12 years of follow up. Women who reported more than 20 years of rotating night shift work experienced an elevated relative risk of breast cancer compared with women who did not report any rotating night shift work (multivariate RR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.06-3.01). There was no increase in risk associated with fewer years of rotating night work. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a modestly elevated risk of breast cancer after longer periods of rotating night work. Additional studies are warranted to rule out small sample size or uncontrolled sources for confounding as alternative explanations.
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In NHS2, <10% of all nurses worked permanent night shifts; exclusion of these women did not change results of a prior analysis.
“in the NHS2 cohort, where night shift work history was assessed in much greater detail, <10% of all nurses worked permanent night shifts. A potential concern is that these nurses may not have classified themselves as working rotating night shifts in the current analysis; yet, exclusion of these women did not change results of a prior analysis.13”
From Total and Cause-Specific Mortality of U.S. Nurses Working Rotating Night Shifts (2015) · cites this paper as [13]
Causal evidence for the association between chronic circadian rhythm disturbance and increased breast cancer risk is lacking.
“Although epidemiological studies in shift workers and flight attendants have associated chronic circadian rhythm disturbance (CRD) with increased breast cancer risk, causal evidence for this association is lacking [1, 2”
From Chronically Alternating Light Cycles Increase Breast Cancer Risk in Mice (2015) · cites this paper as [2]
Epidemiological studies in shift workers and flight attendants have associated chronic circadian rhythm disturbance (CRD) with increased breast cancer risk.
“Although epidemiological studies in shift workers and flight attendants have associated chronic circadian rhythm disturbance (CRD) with increased breast cancer risk, causal evidence for this association is lacking [1, 2”
From Chronically Alternating Light Cycles Increase Breast Cancer Risk in Mice (2015) · cites this paper as [2]
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- Authors
- Schernhammer, E. S., Kroenke, C. H., Laden, F., & Hankinson, S. E.
- Affiliations
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- Corresponding author
- Schernhammer, Eva S.
- Kroenke, Candyce H.
- Laden, Francine
- Hankinson, Susan E.
- Venue
- Epidemiology
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 108-111
- ISSN
- 1044-3983 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2120720602
- Cited by
- 484
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 45 · 2012: 41
- FWCI
- 4.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Risks and Factors
- Keywords
- night shift work, rotating night shifts, breast cancer risk, melatonin, light exposure, premenopausal women, nurses, occupational exposure
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Breast Neoplasms, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, United States, Work Schedule Tolerance, Cohort Studies
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