The Surprising Link Between Breastfeeding and Colon Cancer

A team of scientists examining the rise in colon cancer rates in young men and women has found a “surprising” link to breastfeeding.

Increased Chance of Developing Colon Cancer

Scientists from Harvard and Washington Medical School found that breastfeeding is associated with a 40% increased chance of developing the disease before age 55.

According to research, the longer you breastfeed, the more likely you are to be diagnosed with colon cancer early.

Dr Kimi Ng, an oncologist at Harvard University, said that while the team was still researching the link, they believed a “Western lifestyle” was to blame, as modern diets have long been linked to a number of cancers and many harmful substances can pass through breast milk.

However, Ng stressed that “this is just an association” and urged women not to stop breastfeeding, which has always had significant health benefits for babies.

Studying Environmental Changes

The scientists were interested in studying possible environmental changes related to the rise in colon cancer cases, and they studied data from 158,696 women aged 27 to 93 years old, taken from surveys and questionnaires.

Although diet in adulthood is strongly associated with colon cancer, the link between breastfeeding and cancer is not influenced by what mothers ate.

Eliminating Other Factors

To rule out other lifestyle factors that may contribute to the development of colon cancer, researchers surveyed 40,000 people included in the study and collected detailed health information, including smoking and drinking during pregnancy, as well as comorbidities, weight, and height.

After considering all variables, breastfeeding showed the greatest association with colon cancer.

Increased Risk in Younger Women

The younger group of women in the study had a 40% increased risk of developing high-risk colorectal cancer before they turned 55 years old.

It has also been noted that there is a significant association between breastfeeding and an increased risk of developing adenoma before the age of fifty.

“If you breastfeed, obviously many health factors from the mother are passed on to the baby,” Ng said. Therefore, a natural question arises: “Could maternal health pose an increased risk?”

More Research Needed

The team cautioned that despite the findings, more research is needed and their analysis should not discourage people from breastfeeding, as it is the best source of nutrition for most children.

The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Source: Daily Mail