Breast Cancer Risk Less When Mom Smoked in Pregnancy

[The Straight Story]

Breast Cancer Risk Less When Mom Smoked in Pregnancy

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women whose mothers smoked while they were pregnant have a reduced likelihood of developing breast cancer, according to a new study.

However, "This observation certainly does not suggest that smoking is beneficial," Dr. William C. Strohsnitter told Reuters Health. "The very small reduction in breast cancer would be offset by the large number of other diseases caused by cigarette smoking."

The reason for the finding may be connected to estrogen, which is linked to breast cancer risk.

"Clinical studies show that maternal cigarette smoking reduces pregnancy estrogen levels," Strohsnitter, of Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, and colleagues write in the medical journal Epidemiology. "Women prenatally exposed to maternal cigarette smoke may, therefore, have a lower breast cancer risk."

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_24506.html

[serryjw]

1. Didn't work for me.......

Mom smoked whn she was pregnant with me and I got B/C at 42!

[demforever]

3. Just curious

I was just curious about how you are now after having breast cancer at age 42. I had mine at age 47 and have survived 3 years. Are you doing okay?

[serryjw]

7. I'm happy to report that

June 12th will be 13 years. I was a stage 3 when DX and I had a 40% chance of living 5 years. How are you doing ? Chemo? Radiation? Mastectomy?

[OzarkDem]

10. Me, too

Its been 6 yrs, doing ok except for lymphedema. I had 17 nodes removed.

[serryjw]

11. Sorry to hear about your lymphedema

How many of the 17 were positive?

[progressivebydesign]

2. This is one of those too-stupid-to-believe studies.

Yeah... great. Stupid, completely fucking stupid. The lifelong damage to children whose mother's have smoked FAR OUTWEIGHS any casual link to lower breast cancer rates. I guess asthma, low birth weight, learning disabilities, bronchitis, leukemia, etc. are much better for kids than the chance of breast cancer later in life.

Studies like these only reinforce selfish thinking that it's okay to smoke while you're pregnant, just cuz you wanna. Unebelievably irresponsible

[lumpy]

5. Too-stupid-to-believe-studies.

Another one. Cigarette companies behind the study? Is anyone noting or documenting these ridiculous study 'results' we are exposed to on a regular basis. I know people who actually take this crap seriously.

[OzarkDem]

6. Its consistent

with other studies trying to see if there is a link between breast cancer and smoking.

No one is denying that smoking is bad for you. But some people are always trying to find a quick and easy cause for breast cancer. Sorry, this isn't one.

Breast cancer patients deserve to know what does and doesn't cause the disease - otherwise we'll never figure out how to prevent it.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

4. Because all the carcinogens are transferred to the baby, maybe?

(n/t)

[dflprincess]

9. Reread the article

it's the baby whose breast cancer risk drops, not the mother's.

My mom never smoked, but my dad did...I wonder if 2nd hand smoked would have the same affect.

[MissB]

8. My head is officially spinning

although since I'm laughing hysterically, I guess that is okay.