The research stated that breastfeeding has an effect that is protective in the body, with the protection the greatest for those women who breastfed their babies for 6 months or more. The new study found that the women who breastfed were more apt to get Luminal A breast cancer that is not as aggressive as other forms. By breastfeeding, a molecular environment could develop that could make tumors more receptive to therapies that are anti-estrogen.
The tumors are less apt to spread to other parts of the body and often times are treatable using drugs such as tamoxifen. The study showed that breastfeeding could lower the risk of breast cancer by as much as 30%. The risk of dying from breast cancer after having breastfed is lowered 28%.
One of the lead researchers in the study said the study is the first that she was aware of that had examined the breastfeeding role in cancer recurrence, as well as by tumor subtype.
Breastfeeding might increase the ductal cell maturation in the breast, which makes them less susceptible to different carcinogens or facilitates excreting carcinogens that lead to tumors that are slower growing, said one of the lead researchers.
The tumors are also less apt to spread through the body and can be easier to treat with certain drugs.
Overall, breastfeeding lowered the risk of the recurrence of cancer by 30% and the risk of dying from cancer by 28%. The cancer risk reduction is proportional to the cumulative duration of breastfeeding as the more months a mother is breastfeeding the lower the risk for breast cancer.
Breast milk is ideal nutrition for babies with vitamins, protein, minerals and fat needed to grow.
Now it looks like breastfeeding can also help mothers burn additional calories and lower their risk of ovarian cancer, osteoporosis and even breast cancer.
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