La Leche League International has a long bibliography of articles on BF and
breast cancer, many of which show a definite decrease in risk with increased
breastfeeding.  However, I agree with those who have said basically that it
is difficult to show a difference when most women who breastfeed do not do so
in an intensive or prologned way.  The truly natural pattern, including later
menarche, earlier first pregnancy, most of the reproductive years spent
breastfeeding  intensively with pregnancies interspersed and earlier
menopause is rarely seen in our societies.  No way to test this, but even
with genetic risk and environmental pollutants, this pattern would probably
result in few breast cancers.  So, from there to the common current
breastfeeding and reproductive patterns, there's a sliding scale of risk.

In my own case, I got breast cancer despite spending six or so years
breastfeeding.  However, I think probably having my first child at 36, plus
whatever genetic and environmental risks there were, overrode the protective
effects of breastfeeding.  So, it's not that simple!

It seems to me that the largest increase in breast cancer is in the 40's and
50's age group.  But that may be just the people I know who are getting it.
And also that women in this age group tend to go to support groups more than
older women, so they're more visible.  It does seem to be an epidemic,
though, among women I know.

Miriam Levitt RN, IBCLC

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