Lights at Night Linked to Breast Cancer

[environmentalist]

From THE ENVIRONMENTALIST:

A study of NASA satellite data, overlaid with reported cancer statistics, has identified nighttime exposure to lighted areas as a risk factor for breast cancer:

Women who live in neighborhoods with large amounts of nighttime illumination are more likely to get breast cancer than those who live in areas where nocturnal darkness prevails, according to an unusual study that overlaid satellite images of Earth onto cancer registries.

"By no means are we saying that light at night is the only or the major risk factor for breast cancer," said Itai Kloog, of the University of Haifa, who led the new work. "But we found a clear and strong correlation that should be taken into consideration."

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[TZ]

1. This correlates with data showing night shift workers

have a higher cancer rate than day shift workers. Studies have found that our cells have definite hard wired ciradian rhythms. Stressing that natural rhythem can indeed elevate ones chance for cancer. I don't think its light at night per say as the disruption of one's natural circadian rhythm.

[mzmolly]

4. A lack of melatonin is suspected according to studies as well.

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060107/bob9.asp

One wonders if supplements would be helpful?

[Celebration]

2. curtains?

Don't most people have curtains that keep out light from outside? Rather than try to correlate neighborhoods with breast cancer, a better study would be to ask people if they sleep in a completely dark space, or one with some sort of illumination, either through the windows or in the form of a nightlight, and then compare breast cancer rates.

Still, I have read that diabetes complications are much less likely when one sleeps in a completely dark room (because of melatonin). Good idea to check melatonin supplementation and incidence of breast cancer too.

[grasswire]

3. so I wonder why they don't recommend melatonin...

...as a supplement for diabetes?

[dropkickpa]

5. Pollution in cities perhaps? n/t