Antibiotic use linked with breast cancer risk

[Guest guest]

After reading the entire article, there is nothing

conclusive on this (they even state as much) -- only the

incidence of cancer is greater in those who have been on antibiotics

more times. This could just mean that they are also sicker people

to begin with, and would be more susceptible to all kinds of

diseases.

Also, doctors are notorious at rarely ever telling a patient to be

sure to replace the good flora with probiotics when taking

antibiotics. If one is on any antibiotic, the good flora being

wiped out can cause changes in the gut system that can lead to

malabsorption, which can lead to not having the proper nutrients

absorbed by the gut lining and for the parathyroid gland to

mineralize the bones, etc. This can lead to metastasis of bone

lesions and liver lesions.

Also, failure to replace good flora can lead to candida overgrowth

which can also be the basis for all sorts of maladies. I've read

numerous times that Cancer IS a fungus. Not using antibiotics when

necessary can also leave organisms to have their way with us, which

may lead to all sorts of maladies.

I vote for having physicians who prescribe antibiotics to get

themselves informed about nutrition and instruct their patients in

the proper use of them -- something that was absent in my life

before I got better educated. Most scoff at the idea of this.

Scary!

bg

> More good news (not!) for those on antibiotics.

>

> - - - - -

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The use of antibiotics appears to be

> associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and fatal

breast

> cancer, according to the results of a new study reported in this

> week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association....

>

> The effects of these drugs on the microorganisms normally found in

> the intestines and the way estrogen is processed, as well as their

> effects on the immune system and on inflammation, have been

> suggested as possible ways antibiotics may influence the

development

> of cancer.

>

> http://news./news?

> tmpl=story & u=/nm/20040216/hl_nm/antibiotics_breastcancer_dc_2

[Guest guest]

Antibiotic use linked with breast cancer risk

Last Updated: 2004-02-16 16:00:21 -0400 (Reuters Health)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The use of antibiotics correlates with an

increased risk of incident and fatal breast cancer, according to the

results of a case-control study reported in the February 18th issue of

the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Earlier reports have suggested a link between antibiotics and increased

cancer risk, lead author Dr. M. Velicer of the University of

Washington, Seattle and colleagues note. The effects of these drugs on

intestinal microflora and the metabolism of estrogen, as well as their

effects on immune function and inflammation, have been cited as possible

mechanisms.

To further investigate a possible relationship, Dr. Velicer's group

evaluated data collected for 2266 women with primary, invasive breast

cancer between 1993 and 2001, and 7953 randomly selected women without

breast cancer who were enrolled in the same health plan.

" We found that increasing cumulative days of antibiotic use and

increasing cumulative number of antibiotic prescriptions were associated

with increased risk of incident breast cancer, after controlling for age

and length of enrollment, " they report.

When compared with women with no history of antibiotic use, women with

cumulative antibiotic use for 1 to 500 days had a 2.5-fold increase risk

of breast cancer. " Increasing cumulative days of antibiotic use was also

associated with death due to breast cancer, controlling for age, length

of enrollment, and ever use of postmenopausal hormones, " they write.

The investigators stress, however, that " it cannot be determined from

this study whether antibiotic use is causally related to breast cancer,

or whether indication for use, overall weakened immune function, or

other factors are pertinent underlying exposures. "

" This observation is potentially worrisome in that antibiotic exposure

is common and sometimes nonessential, " Drs. a B. Ness and Jane A.

Cauley of the University of Pittsburgh comment in an accompanying

editorial. " Thus, if real, the risk of breast cancer attributable to the

use of antibiotics could be large and partially preventable. "

The study provides more questions than answers, they add.

Both the authors and editorialists agree that the clinical implications

of the study are unclear and than more studies are needed to explore the

relationship between antibiotic use and cancer risk.

JAMA 2004;291:827-835,880-881

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org