I just listened to an article on WH in which the early onset of puberty in girls was discussed. The item went on to mention possible causes of increasingly early puberty such as plastics in the environment, oestrogens in the water system, phytooestrogens… can’t remember more off the top of my head. Amongst the possible effects of early puberty breast cancer was mentioned. None of this was discussed in very great detail but at least it was being aired. Anyway, if you are interested, you can listen again at bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour
Jenny
Jennywren
I’ll be downloading the podcast to listen under the covers later …
Early onset puberty, no kids, last menopause all means more ovulation and more oestrogen which contributes to hormone fuelled BC.
I have recently been in touch with the Marsden because I’m on a few studies in which I was asked if my periods were regular and the answer was always yes. I have now highlighted that the question needs to be couched differently because regular could mean every 2 months, every 2 weeks - still regular but not “normal”. I was not “normal” but still recorded as regular as so it is entirely misleading and I hope that BCC can propagate something about this too.
If I’d known years ago what I know now then I’d have been at my GP asking why I had a 19 day cycle and maybe, just maybe, they’d have done something about it and maybe my risk would have been reduced or acknowledged as increased. It’s something we should all be made aware of but it’s never simple.
I had a short regular menstrual cycle…22 days. I didn’t have children and had a problem free menopause aged 51/52.
I have sometimes thought my short cycle may have increased my breast cancer risk, but in my case my cancer is strongly er- and pr-…so who knows.
Jane
a normal cycle is between 21 and 35 days so long as its regular.
i had a 21 day cycle when i was about 15 but generally has been nearer to 35 days most of my life had childen early first aged 22 and breastfed (although not for a year) not reached the menopause yet but still managed to get breast cancer twice a strongly ER +ve and then a triple negative.
i think people are just clutching at straws trying to find answers and the thing i have come to realise is that even if you do every thing right you might still get BC and if you do everything wrong you still might not get it… its a lottery for the majority.
lulu
The programme was not trying to suggest a cause for breast cancer but was pointing out that the onset of puberty is becoming lower decade upon decade (9 or ten now?) and trying to look at reasons why this may be. Breast cancer was mentioned as one possible consequence of early puberty.
My periods started at 14 and ended with the chemo at 45.My cycle was light and every 21 days. I had my three children young and breast fed them all for 12mths. My granderdaughter started her periods at 9yrs old - but so did my mother! My tumour was triple neg.
My periods started at 12 in the holidays between leaving primary and starting secondary school. They stopped at 45 with the first dose of chemo, no real hot flushes or menopause symptoms apart from things like the dryness. No kids through choice, so no breast feeding. I was hormone negative and Her2+. When I was being treated I met ladies who I would have classed as super fit compared to me - one was a gym teacher - yet they had gone on to have secondaries. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to this disease which makes me think that some of us are just predisposed to it.