Bras and Breast Cancer

"Bras cause breast cancer," that was the statement I heard on morning radio. The commentator is encouraging women to join a "Braless Thursday." The radio host went on to assure the audience he was not making fun of a serious disease. He made the disclaimer before people called the station complaining. The host referred a 'study' the title I did not hear. I had to get out of the car before the end of the program. I went looking for information.

There are actually at least two articles published on Associated Content relating to the same study. The first article by Jillita Horton entitled, "Lower Breast Cancer Risk by Going Braless." Ms Horton's article was actually an interview with Sidney Ross Singer, who co-authored "Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras." The other article, "Can Wearing Bras Cause Cancer?" by The Porcelain God referred to the same Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer book. The Singer-Grismaijer book dated back to 1995-96. Basically the study related that the lifetime chance of a woman getting breast cancer is very dependent on how long per day she wears a bra. I was looking for more recent studies on the subject, or supporting information.

According to the National Research Center for Women & Families website there are several persistent myths about things that cause breast cancer. One of the most common is that wearing a bra or wearing an underwire bra - causes the disease. The website went on to say one piece of "evidence" that is quoted is that breast cancer is more common in Western cultures. Women started wearing bras in the 1920's. National Research Center for Women & Families stated that well-designed studies have not convinced breast cancer experts that wearing bras causes the disease.

Louise Brinton, chief of the hormonal and reproductive epidemiology branch of the National Cancer Institute was quoted as saying that bras cause cancer, that it just really is not logical in terms of what would increase your risk of breast cancer. A researcher for more than 30 years, Brinton says commonly accepted breast cancer risk factors are generally things that affect endogenous hormone levels.

Marisa Weiss president and founder of the Narberth, Pa. based nonprofit website breastcancer.org attributes some of the persistence of this urban legend as to women trying to figure out what in their everyday lives could cause the disease cancer.

Susan Love is president and medical director of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and a former breast cancer surgeon. Dr. Love agrees that the bra myth comes from the frustration of not knowing what causes the disease, coupled with a desire that the disease should come from the outside, from something a woman can control. She is a well known author of Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book.

Lastly I went to the American Cancer Society website. ACS states that there is no scientifically valid studies that show wearing bras of any type causes breast cancer. The statement dismisses the two anthropologists book called Dressed to Kill, saying the study was not conducted according to standard principles of epidemiological research, and did not take into consideration other variables, including known risk factors for breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society quoted a nameless study as the only one scientifically-conducted epidemiologic study that investigated a possible link between bra use and breast cancer. According to ACS, this study suggested that breast cancer might be less common among women who do not wear bras than among bra wearers. However, breast cancer risk in the two groups was not significantly different, according to standard statistical criteria, and the researchers themselves expressed uncertainty regarding this correlation. They also noted that if there is any connection, it would most likely have occurred indirectly.

The "Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras" suggested that the breast were 'bathed' in 'toxic' fluid. Lymph is a substance made naturally in the body. It is a clear fluid that travels through the body to cleanse it. The lymph travels through filters called lymph nodes. Lymph nodes trap unwanted substances, like cancer cells and viruses, and try to get rid of them from the body. Lymph flows away from the breast and underwire area. Website breastcancer.org discusses the placement and importance of the under arm and breast lymph nodes.

The cancerhelp.org.uk/ shows the lymph system:
Lymph: Colorless, watery fluid that travels through the lymph system and carries white blood cells called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes protect the body against infections and the growth of tumors.

Lymph vessels: A network of thin tubes that collect lymph from different parts of the body and return it to the bloodstream.

Lymph nodes: Small, bean-shaped structures that filter lymph and store white blood cells that help fight infection and disease. Lymph nodes are located along the network of lymph vessels found throughout the body. Clusters of lymph nodes are found in the underarm, pelvis, neck, abdomen, and groin.

Spleen: An organ that makes lymphocytes, filters the blood, stores blood cells, and destroys old blood cells. It is located on the left side of the abdomen near the stomach.

Thymus: An organ in which lymphocytes grow and multiply. The thymus is in the chest behind the breastbone.

Tonsils: Two small masses of lymph tissue at the back of the throat. The tonsils produce lymphocytes.

Bone marrow: The soft, spongy tissue in the center of large bones. Bone marrow produces white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.