Summary
Objectives: A number of controversial studies have been reported on the potential risk of breast
cancer caused by hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Some studies showed a positive
relationship between HRT and breast cancer onset, but other studies have not confirmed
these results. To clarify the contradictory outcomes in the relationships between
HRT and the onset of breast cancer, we have designed an intelligent data mining model
(IDM), which is able to find proper prognostic factors for cancer onset and provides
alternate measures in interpretation of outcome of clinical data through hierarchies
of attributes.
Methods: Based on the selection criteria, we selected 22 sets of random and case-control studies
of the last 15 years, which identified any involvements of HRT with breast cancer.
We analyzed the relationship between HRT and breast cancer using an IDM model consisting
of data mining algorithms and public domain data mining tools. Prognostic factors
which underline the major etiological dispositions of breast cancer were identified.
Results: The variables which are closely associated with cancer onset to some degree are age
60-69, age at menopause 40-49, parity 0, age 40-49, and types of menopause oophorectomy.
An implementation of IDM model on overall pooled data indicated that there is no significant
relationship between breast cancer onset and HRT. It is suggested that HRT patients
with specific physiological and pathological conditions related with the higher ranks
of prognostic factors may have a greater chance to get breast cancer.
Conclusion: The results of this study may guide biomedical research directed at establishing
the causal relationships between various medications and their complications, allowing
an accurate assessment of efficacy and side effects of new therapeutic treatment in
clinical trials without reliance on a large control population.
Keywords
Estrogen - breast cancer - hormone therapy - side effects - risk factor - cohort study
- observation study and casecontrol study