New research suggests that women with a family history of breast cancer can improve their chances of avoiding the disease by breastfeeding.New research suggests that women with a family history of breast cancer can improve their chances of avoiding the disease by breastfeeding. The study found a 59% reduction in breast cancer risk among women who breastfed and had a family history of the disease, compared to women with a family history of breast cancer who did not breastfeed breast·feed or breast-feed v. breast-fed , breast-feed·ing, breast-feeds v.tr. To feed (a baby) mother's milk from the breast; suckle. v.intr. To breastfeed a baby. . Among women without a family history of breast cancer, no variations were seen between women who did and did not breastfeed. Researchers noted that this level of risk reduction compares favorably with the preventive use of tamoxifen tamoxifen (təmŏk`sĭfĕn'), synthetic hormone used in the treatment of breast cancer. Introduced in 1978, tamoxifen is used to prevent recurrences of cancer in women who have already undergone surgery to remove their tumors. , currently used for women considered to be high-risk for breast cancer. Data were drawn from a subset of the long-term Nurses Health Study II, which began following 116,608 25-42-year-old nurses in 1989. Of the 60,075 women studied, all had had at least one child, 87% had breastfed, and all were premenopausal pre·me·no·paus·al adj. Of or relating to the years or the stage of life immediately before the onset of menopause. premenopausal adjective . No correlation was found between the length and/or intensity of breastfeeding and cancer incidence. Because 90% of the Nurse's Health Study participants are White, it's unclear to what extent these results apply to women of color not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color . Archives of Internal Medicine The Archives of Internal Medicine is a bi-monthly international peer-reviewed professional medical journal published by the American Medical Association. Archives of Internal Medicine , AUGUST 2009 |
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