Lifestyle Factors and Family History of Diabetes as Significant Risks for Breast Cancer: A Hospital-Based Cohort Study in Tamil Nadu, India.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer that affect women globally. Understanding the epidemiology of breast cancer helps to identify risk factors that could benefit from tailored treatments depending on their lifestyle or genetic profiles. Data related to epidemiology was collected through structured questionnaire from 517 breast cancer patients. The collected data were analyzed using the independent one-sample chi-square test with SPSS version 20. A significant proportion of breast cancer cases occurred in women aged ≤ 50 years, with a mean age of 47.40 years (SD 11.00). Socio-demographic analysis revealed higher incidence rates in unemployed (65.6%) and married women (98.5%), indicating socio-economic factors as important contributors. Among reproductive factors, menopausal status was found to be a significant determinant, with premenopausal women facing a higher risk (p < 0.001). The key findings of the study are lifestyle factors such as frequent meat consumption (p < 0.001), and less sleep duration (p < 0.001) displayed significant associations with breast cancer incidence. Also, we found a salient finding of a significant association between the major inheritable diseases of diabetes (p < 0.001) and breast cancer. The findings highlight the need for preventive strategies and personalized treatment approaches focusing on lifestyle factors and diabetes to address the specific patient cohort. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of early detection and access to healthcare, particularly for individuals facing socioeconomic challenges.