Increased Breast Cancer Risk for Bigger Baby Girls

In a recent study conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and published in the online edition of PLoS Medicine, a link was found between the size of a baby girl at birth and her risk of developing breast cancer as a woman. The London School utilized results of 32 studies, comparing the birth measurement data and breast cancer risk. The study analyzed more than 22,000 breast cancer cases in over 600,000 women, finding that weight, length and head circumference at birth were all significant factors in a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. The chance of developing breast cancer was 12 percent higher in women that weighed 8.8 pounds or more at birth, when compared to those that weighed between 6.6 and 7.69 pounds. Women that measured 20 inches long at birth had a 17 percent greater risk of developing breast cancer when compared with women that measured 19.29 inches long. As for head circumference, those with a measurement of 13.7 inches or more had a 11 percent greater risk when compared with those who had a measurement of 12.9 inches at birth.

One possible reason for the increased breast cancer risk in larger girl babies may be the higher levels of the estrogen hormone estradiol found in the mother. These increased levels of estrogen may alter the breast development of the baby, making her more susceptible to cancer. Another reason may be overactive stem cells or other growth hormones. Additional research needs to be done on the connection, since very little is known about the connection between breast cancer development and the prenatal environment.

As for the women that were born with larger than average measurements, the American Cancer Society’s director of breast and gynecological cancer, Debbie Saslow, says that there is no reason to worry or consider themselves at a high risk for developing breast cancer, since this study is only for research purposes. Also, expecting women should not make any alterations or do anything differently in an attempt to have a smaller baby.

Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer, only after non-melanoma skin cancer. Certain factors increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, including smoking, drinking alcohol, poor diet and lack of exercise. Statistics from the American Cancer Society reveal that 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer at some point in their lives, equaling about 182,460 new cases in the U.S. in this year alone. An estimated 40,480 women in the United States will die from invasive breast cancer in 2008.

Breast cancer treatment is most effective when the cancer is caught early on. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosing or treating breast cancer, our medical negligence attorneys can help. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money. Please call Silberstein, Awad & Miklos today, or submit an instant inquiry now and we will respond within 24 hours.

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