A new study insinuates that a high BMI (body mass index) is linked to a higher mortality rate for women who suffer from breast cancer. This article at Yahoo.com on the study is a little confusing because after making the aforementioned link, it quotes Dr. Barnett of Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, UK regarding a link to pregnancy:
“We have found strong evidence that high BMI and a recent pregnancy are associated with a poorer prognosis after a diagnosis of breast cancer,” say Dr. Barnett.
Slight confusion aside, this was my take:
– A high BMI makes breast cancer riskier.
– A high BMI and a recent pregnancy is possibly a bad omen.
And then you have this out-of-the-blue twist: moderate drinking may improve survival chances by 22 percent.
I would not put too much stock in the ffinding of higher survival from breast cancer in moderate alcohol drinkers. confirimatory studies are needed.
On a slightly different not, alcolhol consumption is usually linked, if ony weakly, to incidence of breast cancer. For my patients with a personal or close family history of breast cancer, I recommend avoiding alcohol.
-Steve