Waistline and Breast Cancer Link Explored

Having a large waist or belly before menopause may increase a woman’s risk of one type of breast cancer, a study suggests. The study looked at waist and hip measurements for 116,000 women. They had been part of the Nurses’ Health Study since 1989. Women with a larger middle were more likely to develop estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. The hormone estrogen does not cause growth in these tumors. The link between this type of breast cancer and belly fat may be insulin, researchers said. People with a large middle are more likely to have high levels of insulin in their blood. Animal studies have shown that insulin can cause breast cancer cells to grow. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it December 15.