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Increased Breast-Feeding May Decrease Cancer Risk

Aired July 19, 2002 - 10:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to health news this morning, important information for women who breast-feed. A new study finds that moms who nurse their children longer, well, they are better protected from breast cancer. The findings could be particularly significant for African-American women.

CNN medical correspondent Rea Blakey joins us now with more -- hello, Rea.

REA BLAKEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon. This material comes from a study that's published in the British medical journal "The Lancet." They culled through 47 studies from 30 countries looking for answers to the questions of: Why is breast cancer more prevalent in the U.S. and other developed countries than in the rest of the world? And does breast-feeding play a significant role?

What they found, a very complex study, basically determined that women who decreased the number of menstrual cycles they experience either through pregnancy or prolonged breast-feeding, also decrease their total lifetime exposure to major changes in breast tissue, and that means a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Now, the researchers determined that women, who bear six or seven children -- that's a lot -- and breast-feed each child for approximately two years, can reduce their breast cancer risk by more than 50 percent, compared to women who just have two or three children and don't breast-feed for a prolonged amount of time.

The study's authors readily admit that that combined strategy of six or seven children and long breast-feeding is not a viable option for women in today's western societies. The study says a woman's breast cancer risk also goes down 7 percent for every child the woman delivers, and breast cancer risk decreases by 4 percent for every year the women breast feeds.

Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding for baby's first six months, continuing for at least 12 months thereafter, and as long as it is mutually desired. The World Health Organization, which was also very high on the study, recommends even more. They recommend that women continue breast-feeding for up to two years or longer.

The study showed an average of women in the U.S. and other developed countries breast-feeding for about three months per child, and so the researchers say if women in developed countries breast-feed their children six months longer than they do now, Leon, 25,000 breast cancer cases worldwide could, in fact, be prevented each year. So in that sense, it's significant.

HARRIS: Yes, it sounds like that. Let me ask you this, because you know this story was in the news just about a week or so ago, the case of the woman who was breast-feeding her 8-year-old son. You talk about what this study indicated for women who continue to have children -- up to six children, which means they are going to be breast-feeding for a long period of time. What would you think about a woman who is breast-feeding her child for eight straight years? Would that -- would she fall in that kind of category?

BLAKEY: Are you asking for my personal opinion here, Leon?

HARRIS: Well, if can try to give me both, that would be great.

BLAKEY: Well, I must say that the researchers who published in "The Lancet" did not address that particular circumstance. And I think most of us would say that eight years is an extended period of time, which the average woman would not even begin to consider. Again, on average, women in the U.S. breast-feed about three months per child.

And the study says that if you can just extend that another six months to nine months, you are going to get an increased benefit, not only for baby, because obviously breast-feeding is best for baby, but for mom in regards to reducing her breast cancer risk. Beyond that, anyone who breast-feeds eight years, in my book, does not get a comment from me.

HARRIS: You're good. You're smart. You know better than I do. All right, Rea.

BLAKEY: OK.

HARRIS: Rea Blakey, thanks much, you're up in New York.

BLAKEY: OK.

HARRIS: Take care -- have a good one. Have a good weekend, all right?

BLAKEY: You too.

HARRIS: All right.

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