Study: Migraines Cut Breast Cancer Risk By 30 Percent

In a puzzling twist, women who have a history of migraine headaches are far less likely to develop breast cancer than other women, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

The study is the first to look at the relationship between breast cancer and migraines and its findings may point to new ways of reducing a woman's breast cancer risk, they said.

"We found that, overall, women who had a history of migraines had a 30 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who did not have a history of such headaches," said Dr. Christopher Li of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, whose findings appear in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

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Comments

[sophieozz]

Another absurd correlation! How much was spent on that study? I had migraines since childhood. Once I found out about my food allergies/­intoleranc­es and eliminated those foods (and products with aspartame) from my diet, the auras disappeared. It's also good to keep hydrated. Psychologically, the Oliver Sacks book on migraines helped immensely.

[bethinCary]

I'm 45 & have sister 8 yrs younger, with hx of migraines in teen years-now after kids-much better.
I, on the other hand, having had a child just developed migraines in late 30s-so I know probabaly both of ours are due to hormones dropoffs/f­luctuation­s.
Mine are like clockwork now-just one day--13 days after periods--Excedrin Migraine is the only thing i take/that works to get rid of..

Glad to know I have lower likelihood of breast Ca though(does not run in my fam anyhow though).

Glad also-more women/MDs are realizing the link to migraines and hormones too.

[onalimb]

I suffer from migraines with aura. For those who are not familiar they mimic a stroke so you can imagine they are quite disturbing. The throbbing pain that follows the numbness, visual disturbances, and disorientation is unbearable. Not sure what they plan to do with the information from this study but I do not see this a viable route to preventing breast cancer since these headaches are debilitating and make you want to have a lobotomy. I do not feel lucky – at all. By the way, for those women who suffer from migraines, Johns Hopkins is conducting a study involving meditation: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00663585?term=%22Headache%22&recr=Open&rank=36

[cinemaven]

My migraines began at the age of 4 and are exactly as you described but fortunately, I found an amazing doctor when I was in my early 20's who sent me to learn meditation and biofeedback and now, when my fingertips begin numbing and the halos begin, I am able (9 times out of 10) to push everything back into the bottle.

I went from a 3 to 4 day migraine every two months to 1 every 2 years which improved my life immeasurably and learning to breathe and refocus pain made both my childbirths a bit of a breeze. (I'd rather have a baby than one of my full-blown migraines any day *lol*)

[onalimb]

So glad to hear you have a handle on your migraines! Your story is inspiring partially because it lets me know there are some doctors who are not programmed by the pharmaceutical industry and mainly because you raised yourself to a level of control that also contributes to your higher being.

[OtayPanky]

Another study has found that people who suffer from chronic constipation are 23% more likely to win the lottery.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

valid comment in my line of thinking. I thank you for stating it with taste. I was more in line with they are full of sh$t and anyone believing this is really full of it.

Again, thanks for making it so clear.

[Myshkin57]

You can find all sorts of correlations in the world that do not indicate causal linkages.

[OtayPanky]

If you insist on making sense, we're going to have to ask you to leave.

[heal57]

I don't believe most of these 'studies'. I don't know how they can bring the two medical conditions relative to each other. It sounds like mumbo jumbo incompleto to me.

[happycat]

As a woman who has suffered from migraines for the last 12 years, I am surprised by this finding. It is hard to imagine that while my head is pounding and the sunlight outside is making me nauseas, my chances of getting breast cancer are diminshing. I will have to keep that in mind.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

I am sure the men who read this who have migraines too won;t have to worry getting breast cancer at a higher rate.

Please bring back this issues of the current events effecting our nation. Please no more silly season.
When people have head pains won't remember their breast won't fall off from cancer.