There was significant heterogeneity in the association of IGFBP3 with breast-cancer risk according to oestrogen receptor status; IGFBP3 was non-significantly positively associated with risk for oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer and non-significantly inversely associated with risk for oestrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer (test for heterogeneity p=0·039; webappendix p 5). The gene discussed is IGFBP3; the disease is breast carcinoma.