I've keep a pretty good eye on research looking at the impact of 
breastfeeding on breast cancer and I do not recall anything that showed that 
breastfeeding beyond 2 years increased risk of cancer (as opposed to bfing 
up to 2 years). There is a dose dependent relationship in the research 
(longer the better) but few have looked at long-term breastfeeding. One 
study that did was from China.
Zheng, T., L. Duan, et al. (2000). "Lactation reduces breast cancer risk in 
Shandong Province, China." American Journal of Epidemiology. 152(12): 
1129-1135

The problem with that study was not finding women who had breastfed long 
term but finding a no breastfeeding comparison and so the control is women 
who breastfed each child for "only" 6 months. In this case women who 
breastfed each child for more than 2 years had half the risk of breast 
cancer as those who breastfed for 6 months. It's part of my speil when I 
talk about long-term breastfeeding that men should support their partners to 
keep on breastfeeding because they love them and want to decrease their risk 
of breast cancer.

Karleen Gribble
Australia


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christine Bodin" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:28 PM
Subject: Re: breastfeeding and cancer study???


>I do not have the actual study, either, but I remember reading about that 
>several years ago. I remember the study showing a decreased cancer risk up 
>to age two with a reverse in the trend after age two. It made sense to me 
>at the time: not many breastfeeding moms are nursing past age two, yet, 
>compared to the general population of breastfeeders. Some of those who do 
>are specifically motivated to do so by a family history of breast cancer. I 
>had a friend who nursed her first child for nearly 5 yrs because she was 
>specifically motivated to reduce her cancer risk because she had a strong 
>family history of cancer. I have also heard other moms in support groups 
>mention cancer reduction as a motivating factor in continuing breastfeeding 
>despite outside pressure to wean because they have a family history of 
>breast cancer.
>
> Chrissy
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: Matt and Aria Baker <[log in to unmask]>
>> Hello All,
>>
>> I'm trying to figure out what's up with rumors about a study that
>> supposedly found higher rates of breast cancer in women who breastfed
>> for more than 2 years and were over 30 years old themselves (or
>> something along these lines)?    I've searched the Lactnet archives
>> several times and this post in May was the most related I could find:
>>
>> http://community.lsoft.com/SCRIPTS/WA-LSOFTDONATIONS.EXE?A2=ind0805b&L=lactnet&T
>> =0&F=&S=&P=550
>>
>> Can someone point me towards an actual study or source?  Thanks so much,
>>
>> Aria Baker
>>
>>              ***********************************************
>>
>> Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
>> To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
>> Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
>> COMMANDS:
>> 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: 
>> set
>> lactnet nomail
>> 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
>> 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
>> 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet 
>> welcome
>>
>
>             ***********************************************
>
> Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
> To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
> Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
> COMMANDS:
> 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: 
> set lactnet nomail
> 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
> 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
> 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet 
> welcome
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG.
> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.5/1479 - Release Date: 6/2/2008 
> 7:02 PM
>
> 

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome