Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer

Breastfeeding mothers can greatly reduce the likelihood of breast cancers, regardless of their age.

Previously, medical researchers and epidemiologists emphasized that the risk of breast cancer was very high among women who gave birth to their first-born babies. They also found that women had many small children, and young mothers were less likely to get it. But breastfeeding is the most effective protection against this disease.

Not all breast cancers are the same. Some tumors react to hormones, and now there are many drugs that can effectively treat these tumors. But for tumors that don't respond to hormones, there are very few effective treatments.

According to breast cancer researcher Giske Ursin, an epidemiologist of the University of Southern California, ' inert ' tumors are common in first-time mothers when they get older. . She said: 'We found that women who give birth to their first child after age 25 are at twice the risk of developing these tumors. Moreover, it is difficult to see their appearance. So this rare breast cancer is really worrying. '

Ursin was very interested in the possibility of whether the first-born babies after 25 years were at low risk of breast cancer by breastfeeding. So she looked at the data collected in a large-scale study of mothers.

She compared the information of nearly 9,000 women, and found that if the mother breastfed, at any age, they would avoid the risk of breast cancer.

Ursin said that the finding will cause a controversy surrounding breastfeeding. 'The results from our study are that breastfeeding helps mothers reduce their risk of breast cancer, including those who give birth to their first babies at a very late age.'

Scientists are still unclear exactly how breastfeeding is able to reduce the risk of this type of disease in women. Ursin said: ' It would be great if we understood that mechanism. 'And she thinks that information may help scientists find more effective ways to treat breast cancer.

Ursin presented his study at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Manh Duc