Women who are troubled by night sweats and hot flashes can take heart, as a new study finds these to be beneficial in warding off some common forms of breast cancers. Experiencing menopausal symptoms cuts the risk of breast cancer by 50%.
A study undertaken on 1,437 women between the ages of 55 to 74 showed that those who experienced night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, irregular menstruation, anxiety and depression, all symptoms of menopause, were at reduced risk of developing breast cancer as compared with women who had none. The study showed postmenopausal women experiencing severe symptoms had the lowest risk the most common forms of breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma. Even after taking into account other factors like obesity, smoking, and hormone replacement therapy, the benefits of menopausal symptoms and reduced risk of cancer held ground.
As women go through menopause, levels of estrogen and progesterone are reduced and so are ovarian functions. The link of hormones with breast cancer risk was known all along and women who took hormone replacement therapy were found to be at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
This research was the first of its kind, studying the relation between menopausal symptoms and breast cancer risk and the findings need to be confirmed by study that is more detailed.
Though the current study confirms the suspicion about increased levels of estrogen enhancing the risks for breast cancer, Dr. Stefan Gluck, breast cancer oncologist and professor at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, states, “But we did not have proof that if (women) had less estrogen they have less breast cancer. If you have menopausal symptoms, understand it’s a natural process and it might reduce the risk of breast cancer,” Gluck said. “So, it is something biologically good.”
source: healthaim
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