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4B LIFE/ tClie Charlotte Soft Thursday, February 19, 2004 Study: Antibiotics may raise risk for breast cancer in women By Rob Stein WE WASHINGTON POST Antibiotic use is associated with an increased risk for breast cancer, a new study has found, raising the possi bility that women who take the widely used medicines are prone to one of the most feared malignancies. The first-of-its-kind study of more than 10,000 women in Washington state conclud ed that those who used the most antibiotics had double the chances of developing breast cancer, that the asso ciation was consistent for all forms of antibiotics and that the risk went up with the number of prescriptions, a powerful indication that the link was real. A variety of experts quickly cautioned, however, that the findings should not stop women from taking the often lifesaving drugs when need ed to treat infections. There could be other explanations for the association, and much more research is need ed before scientists under stand what the surprising results mean, they said. “This is not saying that women should stop taking antibiotics. Women should take antibiotics for infec tions,” said Stephen H. Taplin, a senior scientist at the National Cancer Institute who helped con duct the study, “We need to follow up and find out if this is a real association.” Nevertheless, the consis tency of the findings in a study with such careful methodology could indicate that antibiotic use is an important, previously unrec ognized risk factor for breast cancer, experts said. Antibiotics could increase the risk for breast cancer by, for example, affecting bacte ria in the digestive system in ways that interfere with the way the body uses foods that protect against cancer, experts said. Another possi bility is that antibiotics increase the risk by affecting the immune system. Even if it turns out that antibiotics do not increase the risk for breast cancer, the finding is likely to be impor tant because it could lead to the discovery of whatever it is about women who use the drugs that appears to make them prone to the disease, researchers said. “This has opened up a picture that peo- We’re always online WWW. thecharlottepost.com pie had not been thinking about,” Taplin said. “The important thing is more research and asking more questions about what it could be.” Until the results are sorted out, experts said, the find ings provide yet another rea son for doctors to more judi ciously prescribe antibiotics, which are often used unnec essarily. “It’s a very provocative finding, but it’s not entirely clear what it means,” said Roberta B. Ness, an epidemi ologist at the University of Pittsburgh who co-authored an editorial accompanying the study in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association. “The first thing you have to ask is if it’s real. I think a cautious interpretation is very rea sonable.” The researchers tried to find other explanations for the association, such as the possibility that breast cancer is more likely to be diag nosed in women who take antibiotics because they see doctors more often. But the association remained even after they excluded that and the other most likely possi bilities. The study’s design, howev er, made it impossible to rule out the chance that women who tend to use the medi cines are biologically predis posed to breast cancer for other reasons, such as by having weak immune sys tems or a hormonal imbal ance that could be the cause of both their increased risk for breast cancer and for infections that prompted antibiotic use. Scientists first proposed that antibiotics may increase the risk for breast cancer in 1981, but the only other study to examine the ques tion was in Finland in 2000. That study also found an association, but it was not as well designed, prompting the new research. “Antibiotics are used extensively in this country and in many parts of the world. The possible associa tion between breast cancer and antibiotic use was important to examine,” said Christine M. Velicer, an epi demiologist with Group Health Cooperative’s Center for Health Studies who was the lead author of the study. Breast cancer strikes more than 211,000 women each year in the United States and kills more than 40,000, making it the leading cause of cancer and the second leading cancer killer among women. Velicer, Taplin and their colleagues examined com puterized pharmacy and cancer screening records of 2,266 women in the Group Health Cooperative, a Seattle area health plan, who developed breast cancer, and 7,953 similar women who did not. Women who had more than 25 individual prescrip tions for antibiotics over an average period of 17 years had twice the risk of breast cancer as those who had taken no antibiotics. The risk was lower for women who took fewer antibiotics, but even those who had between one and 25 pre scriptions were about 50 per cent more likely to develop breast cancer, the researchers found. “It was surprising for me that there was an associa tion,” Velicer said. “The over all robustness and the con sistency across a number of common antibiotics was really notable.” The researchers tried to explain the results by look ing at other known risk fac tors, such as a family history of breast cancer and hor mone use. But none could. They also did an analysis comparing women who were taking large amounts of antibiotics because of a skin condition associated with a hormonal imbalance with those taking antibiotics because of respiratory infec tions to see if the real cause might be the hormonal imbalance. That, too, failed to explain the findings, though it could not complete ly rule it out. One finding that cast doubt on the possibility that antibiotics increase the risk for breast Cancer was that the study found the risk for all types of antibiotics, said Debbie Saslow, director of breast and gynecologic can cer for the American Cancer Society. That makes it unlikely it is the antibiotics because different types work in very different ways, she said. “There are a lot of things associated with cancer risk that have absolutely nothing to do with causing cancer,” she said. Jeanne Calle, the society’s director of analytical epi demiology, called the study important because “it appears to be the first major work to describe a possible association between antibi otic use and the increased risk of cancer.” But “it is critical to realize we cannot say with any cer tainty how valid these results are until and unless they are replicated in addi tional studies,” she said. CJiarlotte Really Works, Advertising & Stories! The Post readers are loyal and trustworthy, but they will wait to make sure you are going to last before knocking the door down. But once they know you provide a good service, and are going to be there, they are there too. .Not only did the ads work, but the stories pull in clients as well. After being featured as the Lifestyles feature of the week, we could hardly handle the business. Thank you to the staff of Charlotte ffiositt Sandy St^hen&Ovmei 3203 Eastway Drive Remount & West Blvd. - Opening in September NOW OPEN, 101 Indian Traii Rd. Folk Arts Camp Offers Unique Encounter With Tradition children ages 8-ii will make music, share stories, dance^ and create traditional crafts under the leadership of master musicians, dancers and artisans. • I uly z6-3o and August i-6 , • 8:30AM to 5:30PM • St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church 3601 Central Ave., Charlotte • $ZZ5 per week • Limited scholarships available Contact Camp Director, june@folkartscamp.org or call (704) 491-5645. ^lENCE OOUNCIL Aru. Stiinuv * CHARLOTTE FOLK .SOCIETY www.folhDciety.org Brothers excel in basketball and other sports B oth Kendall, age 15 and his brother Kendrick, age 13 have accomplished many goals in their young lives-especially basket ball and acrobatics on the trampoline. Today, we honor and celebrate their achieve ments. We applaud them for their athletic accom plishments and the kind ness they demonstrate toward friends and each other. Kendall and Kendrick are not only good at being athletes; they are good at being friends. Kendrick and Kendall are two of many children waiting to be adopted in Mecklenburg County. “Kendrick warms your friend of both boys. heart. He’s kind, respect ful, and has a special interest in science and the universe,” states Evelyn Dillard, a long-time “Kendal! is bright, engag ing, articulate, and well liked by everyone who knows him.” One goal that Kendall and Kendrick have is being adopted into the same family. They are liv ing together in foster care and soon would like to live with an adoptive fam ily. If you are interested in finding out more about these brothers or other children awaiting adop tion, call Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services at 704- 336-KIDS (5437). Communities for Families & Kids MECKLENBURG COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES DIVISION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27,2004 • 8:00 AM -12 NOON CHARLOTTE TRANSPORTATION CENTER • 310 E. TRADE STREET, PAVILION "A" JOB FAIR The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is sponsoring a job fair. Employment opportunities exist in retail, transportation and other service industries. Companies participating in CATS’ Job Fair include; Burger King Carowinds CATS’ Bus Operations Division Childcare Network • Hillcrest Foods • Wal-Mart • The Westin Applications will be accepted and pre-employment interviews may be conducted on site. Some positions require a high school diploma or GED. Applicants for bus operators must possess a good driving record, a valid CDL license or the ability to acquire a CDL. For more information about CATS' Job Fair, contact us at 704-336-RIDE or visit us online at www.ridetransit.org. Need a college savings plan for your child? North Carolina’s 529 plan. Tax-Free. Flexible. Affordable. North Carolina’s 800-600-3453 WWW. C FNC .org/Savings National College Savings Program (0 College Foundation, Inc. 2003 College Foundation of North Carolina Helping You Plan, Apply, and Pay for College
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