Migraines Linked to Breast Cancer

An interesting new study has found a link between migraines and breast cancer. Women who suffer from migraines are at a lower risk of getting breast cancer in their life time. This is the first study of this kind. The study examines the hormonal link between extreme migraines (which are associated with vomiting, extreme pain, sensitivity to light, and nausea) and breast cancer in women of all ages.

The study found that women who suffer from extreme migraines have a 30% less risk of getting breast cancer. As there are many different types of breast cancer, the study concluded that those who had a history of migraines were at a lower risk for the most common types of breast cancer which are driven by hormones such as estrogen receptor-positive and progesterone receptor-positive cancers. Breast cancer is more predomiment in women who have higher levels of estrogen in their body and alternatively, migraines are associated with women who have a low level of estrogen. As would be expected, pregnant women have a high level of estrogen and rarely suffer from migraines, while women who take oral contraceptives-which increases the amount of estrogen in the body, have more migraines while during the week each month that they are off the hormones.

Although the reported cases of breast cancer are on the rise, there is still hope that we will see a cure in our lifetime. Cancer researchers are working around the clock to find a cure, and with the advances and knowledge that we are gaining, women are also gaining better treatment and most of them survive breast cancer if detected in the early stages. Hormonal studies like these are very important as they give researchers even more insight into this deadly disease. One very important step each woman can take in preventing breast cancer is to take care of herself. Eating a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients mainly from plant sources, increasing fibre intake, and drinking plenty of water will cut your risk for breast cancer dramatically.