Breast cancer and antibiotics: relationships dangerous?

For the first time, the use of antibiotics is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Although the mechanism remains to elucidate the relationship between the drugs most used and the first female cancer was enough to make chilling.

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The use of antibiotics is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. This announcement is not made yet another unfounded rumor but the conclusion of a study published in the prestigious journal of the American Medical Association.

A doubling of the risk of breast cancer
Breast cancer, first female cancer, is responsible for nearly 12 000 deaths each year in France. Antibiotics are the drugs most used in many countries and especially in France. The possible relationship between these two phenomena is somewhat disturbing ... But what are these links?

First study of this magnitude on this subject, the American experts were recruited over 10 000 women over 19 years in Washington. Thus, 2 266 women with breast cancer and 7 953 healthy women participated in this survey. The results are amazing:

 
Women who have taken antibiotics more than 500 days over an average of 17 years (or who have had more than 25 prescriptions) had twice the risk of breast cancer than those who did not take during this period;
The risk is lower when the number of days in treatment is less important. Nevertheless, even women who had between one and 25 prescriptions over the same period showed an increased risk of breast cancer up to 1.5.
The authors found an increased risk regardless of the class of antibiotics studied.

Many questions remain ...
How to explain this relationship? The authors suggest several hypotheses:

Antibiotics may affect the intestinal flora and thus alter the breakdown of certain foods thought to protect against cancer;
Antibiotics may affect the immune response and the response to inflammation, which may be linked to the onset of cancers;
The initial reason for the prescription (infectious disease) can cause an increased risk of breast cancer;
A weakened immune system - either alone or in conjunction with the use of antibiotics - may be the cause of the increased risk of breast cancer.
Although the findings of this study goes in the same sense that a previous survey conducted in Finland almost 10 000 women, the authors remain cautious. "Further research must still be conducted to enable us to understand this increased risk and the full implications of these results," said Christine Velicer, co-author of the study. These results indicate a relationship but can not prove whether this is a cause and effect.


These studies should also clarify what specific indication for antibiotic (respiratory or urinary infection, etc..) And when to use (adolescence, pregnancy or menopause) are particularly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Moreover, this risk may differ between women taking low doses for a long period and high doses for a short duration.

Use antibiotics wisely
Routinely prescribed for many indications, antibiotics are the treatment of respiratory infections, acne, bladder infections, and many other diseases, as evidenced by the very large percentage of women who had between one and 25 requirements during the 17 years of follow-up study. "These results do not mean that women should stop using antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. While we can not explain the association between antibiotics and cancer, the public must bear in mind the substantial benefit of these products while using them wisely "concluded Stephen Taplin, co-author of the study.

The misuse of antibiotics for several years been the subject of great concern. Scores overprescription still favor the phenomenon of bacterial resistance these products. Even though efforts are underway, the situation remains worrying.

After launching the campaign "The antibiotic is not automatic"Health Insurance, however note a positive change in perceptions and attitudes among both physicians and patients. A year after this campaign, early results showed a decrease in consumption of 10.2% over the period September 2002-February 2003, 4 million of inappropriate treatment avoided last winter.

 

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