On Canadian CBC National TV News tonight (Thursday, July 18) second lead
story on late night news:

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/07/18/breast_feed020718


Breastfeeding protects against breast cancer, study confirms
Last Updated Thu, 18 Jul 2002 22:32:47

LONDON - As estimated 25,000 breast cancers would be prevented in developed
countries if women had the same number of children but breastfed each child
for six months longer, researchers have concluded.
Scientists have known of a connection between breastfeeding and reduced
rates of breast cancer since the 1920s. But it was hard to tell whether it
was childbearing or breastfeeding that offered the protection.

Researchers analysed data from 47 other studies from around the world
involving almost 50,000 women with invasive breast cancer and about 97,000
women without breast cancer.

They concluded that although having children decreased the risk of breast
cancer, breastfeeding itself is also protective. The protection was higher
the longer women breastfeed.

In developed countries like Canada, more than half of women either don't try
to breastfeed, or stop before three months.

The researchers say given current breastfeeding patterns in Canada, six per
cent of women will develop breast cancer. If women breastfed for at least 16
months over their lifetime, the incidence might drop to three per cent.
Return to century-old pattern of childbearing 'unrealistic'
"It's probably the single major factor in explaining the differences in
breast cancer rates in the developing world," said one of the study's
authors, Valerie Beral of Oxford University. The study appears in this
week's issue of The Lancet.

Dr. Cornelia Baines is a professor of public health sciences at the
University of Toronto. She said the study may be useful for epidemiologists
and policy makers.

"But for the individual woman to think that by (breastfeeding) she is going
to benefit herself, I think that she is not being very realistic," said
Baines.

Scientists don't understand why breastfeeding protects against breast
cancer. In the future, if the mechanism is understood, then therapies may be
developed to mimic the effect.

Doctors say the best reason to breastfeed continues to be because it's good
for the baby. But they don't want the study to add to the guilt women may
feel if they can't breastfeed.

Send your comments to [log in to unmask]

(there is also a discussion link on the right of the page at address listed
above)

(This web item is not worded exactly as the time was aired, but the tone was
the same.  Very dissappionting)

Janice Reynolds, Consumer Representative on the Breastfeeding Committee for
Canada

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html