Milk and Cheese Increase Risk for Breast Cancer

Dairy products including cow's milk may be associated with an increased risk for breast cancer, according to a new study funded by the National Cancer Institute. Researchers looked at the dietary intakes of 1,941 women diagnosed with breast cancer and found that those who consumed the most American, cheddar, and cream cheeses had a 53 percent increased risk for breast cancer. Those with ER- breast cancer (a designation of estrogen receptor status) who drank the most fluid milk had a 58 percent increased risk for breast cancer. Components in dairy such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and other growth hormones may be among the reasons for the increased risk for cancer.