Women Who Sleep Less Than 6 Hrs More Likely For Breast Cancer

[Guest guest]

> Women who sleep less than six hours a night are more likely to develop

> breast cancer, experts warn

> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1082507/

> By Pat Hagan

>

> Women who regularly sleep six hours or less a night may be raising their

> risk of breast cancer by more than 60 per cent, say researchers.

>

> A major study suggests burning the candle at both ends dramatically

> increases the risk of developing a potentially life threatening tumor.

>

> Scientists believe sleep disruption interferes with production of a vital

> hormone called melatonin, which could play an important role in protecting

> against cancer.

>

> The latest investigation, published in the British Journal of Cancer,

> provides the strongest evidence yet that getting enough sleep is crucial to

prevent

> breast tumours.

>

> Scientists in Japan tracked the lifestyle habits of almost 24,000 women over

> an eight-year period.

>

> They found those getting by on six hours' sleep or less a night were 62 per

> cent more likely to have breast cancer compared with those sleeping seven

> hours.

>

> But women who slept an average of nine hours a night were 28 per cent less

> likely to have a tumor.

>

> Dr Masako Kakizaki, who led the study, said: 'We found a significant

> association between sleep duration and cancer.

>

> 'Those who slept six hours or less had a significantly increased risk.'

>

> Around 40,000 women a year in Britain are diagnosed with breast cancer. It

> affects one in nine women at some point in their lives.

>

> Researchers suspect that melatonin, a hormone produced by the brain during

> sleep to regulate the body's internal clock, plays a key role in preventing

> breast tumours by suppressing the amount of estrogen that is released.

>

> Estrogen is known to be a factor in the development of a significant

> proportion of breast cancer cases.

>

> A team of experts at the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine in

> Sendai, Japan, studied data on women aged between 40 and 79 who took part in a

> health and lifestyle survey, including questions on sleep duration.

>

> During the eight-year study, 143 were diagnosed with breast cancer.

>

> When the researchers analyzed the cancer sufferers' sleeping habits, they

> found late nights and early mornings had a major impact.

>

> Other studies have shown tumors appear to grow at twice the normal rate when

> there is a lack of melatonin in the blood.

>

> The same team of Japanese researchers reported earlier this year that men

> getting nine hours' sleep a night were half as likely to develop prostate

> cancer as those who got by on fewer hours.

>

> Cancer Research UK said a 'growing number of studies' now pointed to a link

> between sleep deprivation and cancer.

>

> 'The current evidence suggests sleeping and working patterns might have a

> small effect on the risk of breast cancer,' said the charity's science

> information manager, Henry Scowcroft.

>

> 'But it's too early to tell whether this effect is important when compared

> with other known lifestyle risk factors like weight, exercise and alcohol

> consumption.'

>

> Professor Jim Horne, professor of sleep medicine at Loughborough University,

> criticized the study for grouping together everyone sleeping six hours or

> less.

>

> 'The number of cancer cases in this study is very small and I suspect the

> risk only starts increasing under five hours a night,' he said.

>

> 'Most women have nothing to worry about and there is no good evidence that

> sleeping for longer helps to prevent breast cancer.'

> ##

>

>

>

> Sleep duration, melatonin and breast cancer among Chinese women in Singapore

> http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/29/6/1244

>

> Sleep duration linked to breast cancer risk

> http://www.patienthealthinternational.com/news/23657.aspx

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> UPCOMING PROGRAMS

>

> LIVING WITH ADVANCED BREAST CANCER: An Evening With Musa Mayer

> TUESDAY, December 2 7pm

> Co-sponsored with Benedictine Hospital Oncology Support

>

> Musa is a renowned author, patient advocate and 18 year breast cancer

> survivor. Her focus is on helping those living with advanced breast cancer

make

> good treatment decisions based on the latest clinical research. Register:

> 845-339-3071 KINGSTON: Benedictine Hospital ASB Ground floor conference room

>

>

> BREAST CANCER OPTIONS ONGOING SERVICES

> (see website for complete list: www.breastcanceroptions.org )

>

> ¦ PEER LED SUPPORT GROUPS: 12 locations in 6 counties.

>

> >> DUTCHESS COUNTY

>> Rhinebeck: Northern Dutchess Hospital, Women's View- 3rd Tuesday,

>> 11AM-12:30pm

>> Hopewell Junction East Fishkill: East Fishkill Library- 1st. Wed., 1-2:30

>> Beacon: Wingate at Beacon- 3rd Wednesday, 6:30-8PM

>> ORANGE COUNTY: COMING December 2008/ January 2009

>>

>>

>> SULLIVAN COUNTY

>> Liberty: Curves of Liberty- 4th Monday, 6-:30-8 pm

>> : Catskill Regional Medical Center Adult Day Care Center-2nd Mon.,

>> 6-7:30pm

>>

>> ULSTER COUNTY

>> New Paltz: Elting Memorial Library- 1st Thursday, 1:00PM -2:30pm

>> Ellenville: Ellenville Public Library Community Room- 1st Tuesday,

>> 6:30-8:00pm

>>

>> COLUMBIA COUNTY

>> Chatham: St. Church- 1st Wednesday, 6-7;30 pm

>> Hudson: Hudson Opera House - 3rd Thursday, 6-7:30pm

>>

>> GREENE COUNTY

>> Cairo: Cairo Town Hall Court Room- 3rd Monday, 6-7:30 pm

>> Palenville: Palenville Branch Library -1st Thursday, 6:00-7:30pm

>>

>>

> ¦ COMPANION/ADVOCATES: Trained survivors will accompany newly diagnosed

> patients on initial medical visits.

> ¦ CAMP LIGHTHEART: A free sleep-away camp for the children of breast cancer

> patients and survivors.

> ¦ TELEPHONE AND E-MAIL CONSULTATIONS: A reliable resource for confidential

> answers to questions and for referrals for additional information or services.

> ¦ ANNUAL COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE CONFERENCE: Evidence-based CAM information

> featuring experts in the field of Integrative Medicine. SAVE THE DATE:

> Sunday, April 19, SUNY New Paltz.

> ¦ BREAST CANCER RESOURCE GUIDE: Online and/or pocket sized guide (mailed by

> request) with National and Local resources for medical, financial, legal and

> other help, including decision aids.

> ¦ PEER-TO-PEER MENTORING: Call 845-339-HOPE if you are interested in

> speaking with a breast cancer survivor. We can provide resources and support

for

> caregivers, families and spouses of women with breast cancer

> ¦ REFERRALS FOR FINANCIAL AND LEGAL PROBLEMS:Call for our pocket resource

> guide and resource list if you are having insurance problems or cannot work

> because of cancer treatments.

> ¦ HEATHY LIFESTYLES PROGRAMS: Programs and workshops are listed on our

> website Events Calendar and look at how we can improve our health, deal with

> treatment side effects, cope with financial/legal issues and reduce our risk

of

> recurrence.

>

>

>

**************

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