Originally published September 8 2005
Weight loss could help lower risk for women with breast cancer gene
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Women with the breast cancer gene can reduce their risk by up to 65 percent by losing at least 10 pounds between the ages of 18 and 30, a team of international researchers found, according to BBC News.
An international team of scientists found losing at least 10 pounds between 18 and 30 reduced the risk of cancer by up to 65%.
But they showed gaining 10 pounds increased women's risk of developing cancer before the age of 40.
Experts said the Breast Cancer Research study was the first to link between pre-menopausal weight gain and cancer.
Being overweight after the menopause was already known to increase women's risk of developing the disease.
The researchers, from Canada, the US and Poland, looked at more than 2,000 women who were carrying the faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 breast cancer genes.
It was found that those women carrying the BRCA1 gene who lost weight saw the greatest benefit.
They had lost an average of 18.6 pounds, ranging from 10 to 86 pounds, by the age of 30.
Slimming also reduced the risk for women with another defective breast cancer gene, BRCA 2, but not to a significant degree.
But gaining weight heightened the risk of breast cancer for BRCA 1 mutation carriers who had borne at least two children, increasing their chances of being diagnosed before the age of 40 by 44% if they gained 10 pounds between the ages of 18 and 30.
The researchers, led by Dr Steven Narod of the University of Toronto in Canada, wrote in Breast Cancer Research: "The results from this study suggest that weight loss in early adult life protects against early-onset BRCA-associated breast cancers.
Dr Kat Arney, cancer information officer at Cancer Research UK, says: "This study highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy bodyweight throughout adult life for women who have inherited an increased risk of breast cancer due to faults in their BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes."
She added: "The results are interesting because previous studies have not found a link between pre-menopausal weight gain and increased cancer risk in the general population.
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