Exposure to breast milk in infancy and risk of adult breast cancer: more scientific data are needed

摘要

There has been considerable interest in the health-related benefits of breastfeeding for the infant. Although there are many established short-term benefits of breastfeeding for infant nutrition and health, the potential long-term benefits regarding chronic disease and cancer morbidity in adulthood, including risk of breast cancer, are still unclear. In this editorial, we review the evidence regarding the association between being breast-fed in infancy and the risk of short-term and long-term health outcomes and then focus specifically on breast cancer as an outcome. Finally, we recommend approaches for improving future epidemiologic studies that investigate the effects of exposure to breast milk in infancy on longer-term health.