In a message dated 96-02-14 17:54:47 EST, you write:

> I am awfully afraid to say that breastfeeding decreases the risk of
breastcancer. My very good friend has been diagnosed again with breast cancer
in her second breast. Her first episode was confirmed 8 years ago, one month
after her second child was
>born. Her first baby was breastfed for quite some time , not sure how long.
>She had radiation, than became pregnant again and nursed onesided for over
>one year and is very angry that this is all happening to her again. Please
>give me some confidance to say that it still decreases the risks? Her family
>history of Ca. is phenominal.

RISK is a funny thing.  You have to think about populations more than
individuals.  Think about seat belts or motorcyle helmets.  Looking at a
large population of people those measures have clearly been shown to prevent
injury and death.  Does that mean that EVERYBODY that wears a seat belt or
helmet will not be injured or killed?  Of course not.  Breast Cancer probably
has a multitude of factors that can cause it to occur and we only know a
small amount of the facts that is responsible for the cause of breast cancer.
 Certainly some families have a very strong history of cancer and they
probably have a gene that carries a high likelyhood of allowing the cancer to
start to grow.  Others may carrie a gene that only causes the cancer to start
if certain tumor stimulating things occur.  The possiblites are many and
impossible to prove given our current level of science. Trauma, radiation
(even from high altitude plane flights), chemical exposures (both manmade and
natural in foods) , hormone exposures have all been investigated at some
point.  We just don't know for sure.

Another point to ponder ( and never know the answer), when would she have
developed cancer if she had not breastfed?  Maybe 5-10 years sooner?  We can
never know for sure but this is possible too.   As I have said before, it is
what we don't know (yet) that is the really important knowledge that we must
seek out and try to learn.

Jon Ahrendsen
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
<  Jon Ahrendsen, M.D. FAAFP, LLLI Medical Associate >
<  215 13th Ave SW,    Clarion, Iowa 50525  USA            >
<  515-532-2836, FAX 532-2523, Email [log in to unmask] >
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^