A Cross-Sectional Study Based on the National Health Interview Surveys

Background/Significance

Previous studies suggesting a negative correlation between breast cancer and visual impairment are limited by small sample sizes, underscoring the need for larger-scale analyses to clarify this relationship and its clinical implications.

Materials and Methods

To better understand this correlation, we conducted a cross-sectional study using data from 39,439 individuals from the National Health Interview Surveys, ensuring sufficient sample sizes across all degrees of visual impairment.

Results

Our results showed an increase in breast cancer among all degrees of visual impairment, with the highest prevalence of breast cancer being among women who were completely blind. These results show that the melatonin hypothesis may not be applicable outside of animal models, and that lifestyle challenges faced by visually impaired women may increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

Conclusion

Further studies should be conducted to draw definitive conclusions, keeping in mind the possibility that there may be a positive correlation between breast cancer and visual impairment in spite of conclusions established by past studies.