I would love to work with fellow lactnetters to get out the word about
the association of a decreased risk of breast cancer with increasing
duration of breastfeeding.

I was recently at a family practice board review course at which a
speaker, despite lots of other equivocal statements, categorically stated
that breastfeeding had no effect on breast cancer risk.  I challenged him
during the Q&A with a list of references (as well as I could remember
their exact cites, even).  Unfortunately, it was a written Q&A so the
700+ family docs in the room didn't "hear" my question, only his curt
repetition of his categorical statement.  I was furious, and said as much
(politely but firmly) on the evaluation form.  It's hard enough to deal
with inertia and apathy without having to counteract all the
misinformation out there.

I appreciate the info from the women's conference.  I firmly feel
breastfeeding is a feminist issue.  Ms. magazine did a story on breast
cancer sometime recently, and didn't include breastfeeding, either.  I
wrote to them at the time, as well.  They did include a pretty good story
by a breastfeeding mom shortly after that as I recall, but I haven't seen
them revisit the breast cancer issue.


 --
Anne Montgomery, M.D.
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St.Peter Hospital Family Practice Residency
Olympia, WA