Breastfeeding, Prevent Breast Cancer. Breastfeeding, Breast Cancer Patients Can Do

Breast cancer is the type of cancer with the most sufferers in Indonesia, which is 42.1 per 100,000 population with an average death rate of 17 per 100,000 population.

Risk factors for breast cancer include increasing age, obesity, family history, hormone therapy, and an unhealthy lifestyle. To minimize it, it can be done by changing a healthy lifestyle, weight control, exercise, and breastfeeding.

Research by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) states that breastfeeding prevents breast cancer. Breastfeeding for at least one year reduces the risk of developing breast cancer by 4 percent. This is because the breastfeeding process makes breast cells work to produce breast milk, thereby limiting the ability to develop damaged DNA cells and behave deviantly into cancer cells. Breastfeeding also makes the menstrual cycle less so that the body is less exposed to the hormone estrogen, one of the factors that play a role in the occurrence of breast cancer. Usually, breastfeeding is also a factor in maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle to maintain the quality and quantity of breast milk.

Then, can breast cancer sufferers breastfeed? Breast cancer patients can still breastfeed with consideration of the location of the cancer cells and the type of therapy being carried out. If only one breast is affected by cancer, breastfeeding can be done from the breast that is not affected by cancer. When undergoing therapy, it is necessary to pay attention to whether the therapy will affect breast milk. Chemotherapy is not recommended for breastfeeding because it is feared that the drugs contained flow in the blood, dissolve in breast milk, and have an effect on the baby. While lumpectomy (surgery) and radiation therapy (irradiation), breastfeeding is allowed because this therapy is not too extensive.

Perform a healthy lifestyle and early examination to prevent breast cancer. Consult a trusted doctor for prevention and the right solution through the mDoc application. Come on, download it right now!