Breastfeeding reduces risks of breast cancer (Photo : REUTERS/Christinne Muschi )
Scientists claimed they have enough evidence to link breastfeeding to reduced risks of reoccurrence of breast cancer. The study conducted by scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research arrived at the above conclusion after analysing data compiled from 1636 women with breast cancer.
As per the report which published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, those who have breast fed benefit from 30 percent less chances of the disease recurring and 28 percent less chances of dying from it, stated Science Times.
Researchers further stated the reduced risk of cancer recurrence is directly proportional to the time spent in breast feeding. As an ideal scenario, scientists peg its 6 months to a year or more to be best to reduce chances of cancer.
However, scientists have not been able to offer any conclusive explanation of the above trend but stated it might have something to do with "maturation of ductal cells in the breast, making them less susceptible to carcinogens or facilitate the excretion of carcinogens, and lead to slower growing tumors," said Bette J. Caan, senior author of the study.
"Women who breastfeed are more likely to get the luminal A subtype of breast cancer, which is less aggressive, and breastfeeding may set up a molecular environment that makes the tumor more responsive to anti-estrogen therapy," Kwan said Marilyn L. Kwan, the study's lead author.
Also there are fewer chances for the tumors to spread to other body parts and respond to medication such as tamoxifen, claimed newseveryday.
Kwan also stated this is the first time that breastfeeding has been found to have a direct bearing on reducing breast cancer even though it was widely believed that breastfeeding is a healthy process for both the moth and child.
