Milk link to ovarian cancer, says review
Last updated Aug 5 2005 07:59 AM PDT
CBC News
New Swedish research suggests there is some evidence linking ovarian cancer to milk consumption, but says more study is needed.
The International Journal of Cancer has published the review of 21 previous international studies into a suspected link between the often deadly cancer and dairy products.
LINK: Release on ovarian cancer risk
"This gives some evidence that milk might be linked to increase risk of ovarian cancer, but more research is needed," says study author Susanna Larsson of the National Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Larsson concluded that prospective cohort studies, in which people are followed forward in time, support the hypothesis that high intakes of dairy foods and lactose may increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
These studies did not identify women with a genetic susceptibility for ovarian cancer.
"We don't know how much milk is too much for women with genetic predisposition," says Larsson.
Case-control studies, a less rigorous study design that looks at diets at the time of diagnosis, did not point to a link, the review team reports in the Aug. 5, 2005 in the International Journal of Cancer.
Larsson does not suggest women stop drinking milk, pointing out that other research shows milk has health benefits.
INDEPTH: CBC MARKETPLACE: Milk
The B.C. dairy industry says the review shouldn't make women afraid to drink milk. B.C. Dairy Foundation spokesperson Sydney Massey questions some of the research that's been done.
"Well, you can show an association between wearing skirts and breast cancer, but it doesn't mean that wearing skirts causes breast cancer. It just means that there's something here we have to take a look at."
Massey also notes there is overwhelming evidence of the many health benefits of milk.
Salley Errey gives nutrition advice to cancer patients at Vancouver's Centre for Integrated Healing. She's been monitoring studies linking milk to cancers for two decades.
"It's a very high-hormone food, and it has been correlated with hormonal cancers, both in men and in women."
Errey suggests people watch their consumption of milk, and also get calcium from other foods. She counsels eating food in its most natural form.
"I'm not surprised when these studies come out, although here in the West, we are very surprised to hear that dairy may not be so good for us. because we really are one of the chief consumers of the food," she says.
"But when you stop to think what the dairy cows' milk is, it's a very high-hormone food, and it has been correlated with hormonal cancers, both in men and in women breast cancer, prostate cancer and ovarian cancer."
Milk consumption in Canada has been on the decline for the last two decades, something the dairy industry is calling a "crisis."
Last updated Aug 5 2005 07:59 AM PDT
CBC News
New Swedish research suggests there is some evidence linking ovarian cancer to milk consumption, but says more study is needed.
The International Journal of Cancer has published the review of 21 previous international studies into a suspected link between the often deadly cancer and dairy products.
LINK: Release on ovarian cancer risk
"This gives some evidence that milk might be linked to increase risk of ovarian cancer, but more research is needed," says study author Susanna Larsson of the National Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Larsson concluded that prospective cohort studies, in which people are followed forward in time, support the hypothesis that high intakes of dairy foods and lactose may increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
These studies did not identify women with a genetic susceptibility for ovarian cancer.
"We don't know how much milk is too much for women with genetic predisposition," says Larsson.
Case-control studies, a less rigorous study design that looks at diets at the time of diagnosis, did not point to a link, the review team reports in the Aug. 5, 2005 in the International Journal of Cancer.
Larsson does not suggest women stop drinking milk, pointing out that other research shows milk has health benefits.
INDEPTH: CBC MARKETPLACE: Milk
The B.C. dairy industry says the review shouldn't make women afraid to drink milk. B.C. Dairy Foundation spokesperson Sydney Massey questions some of the research that's been done.
"Well, you can show an association between wearing skirts and breast cancer, but it doesn't mean that wearing skirts causes breast cancer. It just means that there's something here we have to take a look at."
Massey also notes there is overwhelming evidence of the many health benefits of milk.
Salley Errey gives nutrition advice to cancer patients at Vancouver's Centre for Integrated Healing. She's been monitoring studies linking milk to cancers for two decades.
"It's a very high-hormone food, and it has been correlated with hormonal cancers, both in men and in women."
Errey suggests people watch their consumption of milk, and also get calcium from other foods. She counsels eating food in its most natural form.
"I'm not surprised when these studies come out, although here in the West, we are very surprised to hear that dairy may not be so good for us. because we really are one of the chief consumers of the food," she says.
"But when you stop to think what the dairy cows' milk is, it's a very high-hormone food, and it has been correlated with hormonal cancers, both in men and in women breast cancer, prostate cancer and ovarian cancer."
Milk consumption in Canada has been on the decline for the last two decades, something the dairy industry is calling a "crisis."