Breastfeeding and Cancer-Send info

[MisaGoat]

I am taking a nursing class and we are going over cancer. My teacher handed out a "Breast Cancer Fact Sheet" that states "Contrary to widespread belief: Breast feeding neither decreases or increases a woman's likelihood of developing breast cancer."

This is false right?

If you have any links of research please provide them so I can pass them on. The most recent study I see is the 2002 Lancet one:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/la...94540/abstract

Is there anything more current?

Thank you

[lissabob]

http://www.susanlovemd.com/breastcan...id=130&cid=410

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextende...#BreastCancer1

http://www.promom.org/101/index.html
4 and 6

[jaxxy]

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/f...Risk/pregnancy

[MisaGoat]

Thank you!

I printed out the articles and gave them to my teacher before class. She didn't really say much or correct the information she had given out in class.

It is frustrating to be taught things that aren't true.

[ErinsJuneBug]

Funny you should mention this. We had an oncology lecture last week and when we were talking about breast cancer the teacher said that the ONLY thing that reduces the risk was getting your period late and going through menopause early. I asked about breastfeeding and how I had read that this lowered the risk and she said it is ONLY because it delays a woman getting her period. For woman whose breast cancer is linked with estrogen breastfeeding just lessens their exposure to estrogen. Is this true? Silly me, I always assumed that it was due to using the breast as it was designed to function.

[julie128]

I JUST read this in my text book Breastfeeding: a Guide for the Medical Profession by Lawrence and Lawrence. Yes, breastfeeding lowers your risk for breast cancer. duh.

[MisaGoat]

Julie,

What class are you taking taking?

We already covered OB/Peds but the breastfeeding info was only a small portion of the class (we did all of OB/Peds in 8 weeks so it was really crammed in there).