Does breast trauma cause BC?
Does breast trauma cause BC? Hi all, Weird one - does anyone know if causing trama to the breasts can increase risk of BC? I assume I am bilogically predisposed (Awaiting testing) but mum has bilateral BC.
Thing is I always seems to have bruises on on breasts from having a young puppy who jumps alot (Never near my mum tho - Bizarre!) - and I sleep straight on them which often hurts and dunno - general clumsiness always seems to be bruised. Untiul now never really thought about my boobs but suddenly I seem to have an odd relationship with them- Kind of like they’re not mine as I worry about pains etc.
Well any info woul dbe good - I very rarely examine my boobs as they are very, very lumpy (Nurse even confirmed that!) and therefore am quite scared when I do - Mind going 1000MPH (I know ignorance is not an answer but at the mo can’t be doing with going to the GP).
Any info about breast trauma would be fab!
Cheers!
Not a weird question. One that is often asked. There seems to be the usual disagreement amongst the experts. The Mayo Clinic’s site says Trauma. Sometimes a blow to your breast or a bruise also can cause a lump. But this doesn’t mean you’re more likely to get breast cancer… Breast Cancer Care says: There is no evidence that injury or trauma to the breast causes or increases the risk of breast cancer.
Lumps in the breast needn’t be cancer, there are lots of other conditions that produce them.
trauma It is my understanding that trauma itself doesn’t cause cancer, but after trauma people tend to examine themselves more and find something that was already there. Bruising can often have a lumpy feel to it anyway.
There was a thread a while ago where they were discussing a theory that dogs can detect cancer in humans which was very interesting.
Jakey
Interesting thoughts Hi Ilovemymum
We have a kennel of 32 very energenic working siberian huskies and a couple of working collies for rounding up my chooks! On an average day I will expect to get jumped up at maybe 20 times, I’m only 5’2" so not that tall. The dogs that jump up either catch me in the back or full on at the front - in fact only last week I had stitches put into my lip where a rogue tooth from a pup made contact on jumping up at me!
My boobs have always taken the brunt of the force when dogs jump up, I now have to carry a walking stick across the yard when I go out as I am terriried that one of them will catch me on my Mastectomy scar.
I took a hell of a knock about a year and a half ago, that left half of my boob bruised. Interstingly enough a couple of months later I found a lump in that breast in the area of the bruise, I though it was a bruise and left it for about 6 months. I found out that it was Br Ca when I got it looked at! So I guess I should have got it looked at initially? Whether the bruise and impact started the tumour growing no one will ever know? But it makes me wonder.
I believe quite strongly in dogs being able to detect cancers. Right from the time when I sustained the above injury I found that my little pet collie was intent on snffing, nudging and licking that area of my boob. To be honest she became very demanding and would not leave me alone at that time. She never did it to the other one and to date never has, she also stopped paying any attention the the affected one during chemo (when my tumour had disappeared). Following my Mastectomy she never even sniffed the area once! So I am sure that she knew a long time before I was diagnosed.
Lynn x
I am sure I have posted this before, but it might not be on this site.
Anyway, here goes…
My tumour was found in the same area of my right breast where I had previously suffered a breast abscess when breastfeeding my daughter many years before.
I reckon if the pipework is damaged AND the predisposition is there, it will happen sooner or later.
Mcgle
My tumour was in EXACTLY the same spot were I had a nasty knock 18months earlier!
tumour Hi there,
I think my tumour may have been linked to a car accident, the seat belt caused a bruise across my left breast, 3 months later I found a lump in this place, makes you think.
Jo
Hello ILMM
Not quite the same but some time ago my aunt had a mastectomy and was fit and well for quite a few years until she fell on holiday and banged herself on her neck where the adams apple is. Within weeks she had a malignant tumour on her neck which grew quickly and killed her within months.
Makes you think.
Lollypop
This is interesting… I started having probs with my right breast 18 months ago…turns out its dcis…awaiting mastectomy and recon…anyway its in exactly the same place as where i had severe mastitis during breastfeeding my first baby in 2002…i wonder if there is a link…i have always thought so!!
wasnt direct trauma tho…but makes you wonder wether extraneous factors can play a part!!
Anna x
A myth There are plenty of myths about breast cancer which I think do no one any good. There is no evidence whatsever that trauma to the breast causes breast cancer though a knock on your breast could make you more aware of your breast and therefore more likely to notice a lump.
Jane
Jane
'There is no evidence whatsever that trauma to the breast causes breast cancer ’ Can you point me in the direction of current research that has proven this?
When I was a student nurse I researched Br Ca causes (going back some 18 years ago) and this was an area that cropped up with no answer. I take it has now been researched?
Lynn
Hi Lynn No sorry can’t point you in the direction of the resaerch. My statement is based on what all the reputable cancer charities in the UK and USA say about breast knocks etc. If you want chapter and verse maybe ring one of their helplines.
There are known risk factors for breast acncer (e.g. age, BCA gene), possible risk factors (e.g. range of dietary and environmental factors) and myths about causes which the evidence as far as I know suggest is the case with bruises and knocks (and underwired bras!)
Jane