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] > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^