If you suffer from migraines, you may be at LOWER risk for Breast Cancer
MSNBC reported that a new study found that women who have a history of migraine headaches are far less likely to develop breast cancer than other women.
"We found that, overall, women who had a history of migraines had a 30 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who did not have a history of such headaches," said Dr. Christopher Li of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, whose findings appear in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. Li said the reduction in risk was for the most common types of breast cancers — those driven by hormones, such as estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer, which is fueled by estrogen, and progesterone-receptor positive breast cancer, which is fueled by progesterone.
It is not exactly clear as to why the migraines play a role in a lower risk for breast cancer, except maybe the hormones that cause migraines.
The study reported that women how are diagnosed with breast cancer tend to have high levels of estrogen.
And migraines are often triggered by low levels of the hormone estrogen, such as when estrogen levels fall during a woman's menstrual cycle.
Women who get migraines "may have a chronically lower baseline estrogen. That difference could be what is protective against breast cancer," Li said.
I find this to be a fascinating study and a lead into one of the many caused of breast cancer and who is at risk for them. I suffer from migraines and can’t stand it’s excruciating pain. But if there is a positive result from migraines or at least a report that I am a less likely candidate for breast cancer.
For more on this study: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27572991/