Wide-hipped mothers raise risk of cancer
Women whose mothers have wide hips could be seven times more likely to develop breast cancer.
A
recent study found that daughters of women with wide hips are 60 per
cent more likely to go on to develop breast cancer. The risks increase
to seven-fold when the mother has carried them for the full 40 weeks of
pregnancy or if they have older siblings. It is thought that the high
levels of oestrogen in a woman's blood in early and late pregnancy can
cause dangerous changes to the immature breast tissue in the developing
baby.
The width of a woman's hips is directly related to the
amount of oestrogen she produces during pregnancy, and therefore the
amount passed on to her unborn child.
The research was carried
out by internationally renowed medical researcher, Professor David
Barker from Southampton University. Prof Barker said: "A women's hip
size is a marker of her oestrogen production. Wide round hips represent
markers of high sex hormone concentrations in the mother, which
increases her daughter's vulnerability to breast cancer."
Prof
Barker studied more than 6,000 Finnish women born from 1934 to 1944 and
compared the results with medical information from their mothers,
including their hip sizes. The results showed that the women's risk of
breast cancer went up by 60 per cent if her mother's hips were more
than 11.8in (30cm) across.
The findings could mean that a drug
to prevent breast cancer could be developed in the future. Researchers
are looking onto the possibility of a drug which lowers the oestrogen
levels during pregnancy.
The idea that a mother-to-be can
trigger the disease in her daughter is not a new idea. Women who took a
wonder drug prescribed in the 1940s to the 1970s to help combat
miscarriage consequently found that their daughters were twice as
likely to suffer from the disease. The wonder drug contained a
synthetic version of oestrogen - diethylstiboestrol or DES.
Dr
Lesley Walker, or Cancer Research UK said more research was needed to
confirm the link between hip size and breast cancer. She added: "Cancer
Research UK encourage all women to be breast aware and attend screening
when invited."
Thanks to the Daily Mail, 09/10/07
What do you think of this news article? Why not post your comments up on our Chat Forum.
Related Articles
Last Modified: 09/10/2007
Related Chat
You'll need to be logged in to post new Comments and Answers or to Chat.
Login or
Register