Migraines May Lead to Reduced Cancer Risk
Study Supports Link Between Migraine and Breast Cancer
Sep 20, 2009
According to a follow-up study to one last year, there appears to be a link between breast cancer and migraines. In a July 10, 2009 feature article “Link Between Migraines and Reduced Breast Cancer Risk Confirmed” on medicalnewstoday.com, Dr. Christopher I. Li, a breast cancer epidemiologist and associate member of Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, along with colleagues from around the U.S., published the latest findings in the July issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. According to Li, breast cancer risk decreases by 26% in women also diagnosed with migraines.
Recent Migraine Study More Complete
These findings come on the heels of an earlier study completed last year in which it was suggested there was a link. The follow up study addresses issues the earlier study failed to look at and takes into account a greater number of participants.
The most recent study performed by Li and colleagues covered nearly 10,000 women, half of whom had breast cancer. According to a July 9, 2009 article, “Follow Up Study Confirms Link Between Migraines and Reduced Breast Cancer Risk” on Medicalnewstoday.com, the number of women in this study was 4 times that of the original. Participants were also drawn from 5 metropolitan areas, an important factor because, as Dr. Li says, having a large and diverse group is important in replicating the findings of the original study.
Covering a wider age group as well, the new study explored the symptoms and history of women who ranged in age from 34 to 64. This 30 year age span was 11 years greater than that of the earlier study and allowed researchers to study factors such as menopause and hormone replacement therapy.
While the ages and number of women participating in the study were important factors in verifying the findings, researchers also took into account the lifestyles of the women in question. According to Li, the first study failed to look at the link between Migraine triggers such as alcohol consumption and Hormone Replacement Therapy and the correlation between breast cancer development. According to Li, in the latest study they were able to look at “women who never drank, never smoked and who also didn’t use hormones” suggesting that the appearance of migraines may “stand alone as a protective factor”.
While it isn’t clear what factors lead to the protective benefits, Dr. Li’s research is ongoing. “We know that migraine is definitely related to hormones,” says Dr. Li. It is hoped that further research may uncover the connection.
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