et a!. Breast cancer in two populations with different levels of risk for the disease

different levels of risk for the disease. Am J Epidemiol 1984;119:496-502. Caucasian women In Hawaii have a higher risk for breast cancer than women of Japanese ancestry. In order to determine to what extent known risk factors account for the difference In risk between the two groups, a case-control study was done from 1975 to 1980. A total of 183 Japanese and 161 Caucasian breast cancer cases were Interviewed along with their respective controls. The find-Ings suggested that a positive history of benign breast disease, a family history of breast cancer, late menopause, late age at first childbirth and early age at menarche did not fully account for the difference In breast cancer risk between Caucasian and Japanese women In Hawaii. Attention needs to be focused on other factors that are under environmental Influence. biometry; breast neoplasms There is a sevenfold variation in breast cancer incidence rates in different ethnic groups throughout the world (1). Al-though a number of risk factors for this disease have been identified, it is not clear to what extent they account for the Received for publication May 23, 1983, and in final form August 22, 1983.