Kathmandu, September 29

Women who fail to breastfeed before 35 years of age are at high risk of breast cancer, say doctors.

According to Dr Roshan Prajapati, medical oncologist at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, women who do not give birth to baby and breastfeed even after 35 years of age are prone to breast cancer.

In the same way, girls, whose menstruation cycle starts before 11 years of age, women having late menopause and women, whose menstruation cycle continues even after 50 years of age, are also at high risk of breast cancer.

Dr Prajapati said estrogen hormone caused cancer in women.  “Breast cancer is related to production of estrogen and progesterone hormones. If the body produces these hormones for a long period of time, chances of breast cancer also increase in women,” he informed.

If production of estrogen hormone is reduced, women can significantly lower the chances of breast cancer.

“Breastfeeding for at least a year, healthy eating habits and regular exercise can help avoid breast cancer,” he said , adding that overweight also increases chances of breast cancer.

He also said that at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, women diagnosed with breast cancer were between 30 and 40 years of age.