Risk Factors for Reproductive and Breast Cancers among Older Lesbians

Abstract

These findings suggest that older lesbians may have greater risk factors for some, not all, reproductive cancers when compared with their heterosexual sisters, specifically, increased risk for breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer but decreased risk for cervical cancer. Further research should be done to determine if these risks translate into actual disease for lesbians as well as culturally appropriate ways to modify the risks among lesbians.

Risk of Breast Cancer Mortality Among Women Cohabiting with Same Sex Partners: Findings from the National Health Interview Survey, 1997–2003

“…1 This report outlined in detail the unique concentration of common breast cancer risk factors among lesbian and bisexual women resulting from differences in reproductive behaviors, lifestyle factors, and use of routine preventive screening methods. Since that time, additional studies [4][5][6][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]21,27 have provided further support for these concerns. However, whether this concentrated pattern of breast cancer risk factors causes detectably higher rates of incident breast cancer for women with minority sexual orientation is unclear at this juncture.…”

“…3 One dimension is reproduction related, where sexual minority women experience higher rates of nulliparity, lower rates of abortion, fewer pregnancies, lower rates of breastfeeding, and older age at first childbirth compared to heterosexual women. [4][5][6] A second dimension involves behavioral risk factors. Here, it has been observed that sexual minority women report more frequent alcohol consumption and tobacco use and higher rates of obesity.…”

“…[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] A third dimension reflects possible difficulties in access to and use of early detection methods, such as breast self-examination, clinical breast examination and mammograms, although the evidence for this third dimension is somewhat mixed. 4,6,9,15 Direct findings of anticipated elevated breast cancer risk among sexual minority women, however, are relatively lacking in the research literature. This reflects the dearth of studies on lesbian health in general and, more specifically, the fact that tumor registry records do not record sexual orientation.…”

A Systematic Review of the Literature on Weight in Sexual Minority Women

“…One study found no difference in C-reactive protein, a marker for CVD, in young adult sexual minority compared with heterosexual women (Hatzenbuehler et al, 2013). Few of these studies reported cancer prevalence; one found no difference between older lesbians and their heterosexual sisters for breast cancer (Zaritsky & Dibble, 2010). These findings are also supported by another recent review of the literature of chronic physical health problems in sexual minority women (Eliason, 2014b), which found that, of 10 studies that reported diabetes, none found elevated rates among sexual minority women; and of 12 studies that reported hypertension, three found heterosexual women to have higher rates and none found higher prevalence among sexual minority women.…”

“…Another national study included more than 30,000 college students, and most of the 123 participating campuses used random sampling procedures (Struble, Lindley, Montgomery, Hardin, & Burcin, 2010). Eight were national samples, mostly using online surveys Brittain, Dinger, & Hutchinson, 2013;Davids & Green, 2011;Fredriksen-Goldsen et al, 2012a;Jun et al, 2012;McElroy & Jordan, 2014;Struble et al, 2010;Zaritsky & Dibble, 2010 Found that sexual orientation weight discrepancies began in adolescence. L marginally heavier than H; B and mostly H significantly heavier than completely H Did not report BMI means or frequency, but did report relative risk (RR) using heterosexual as referent: Overweight:…”