Eat Curd Daily: It May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

Eat Curd Daily: It May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

Intake of probiotics may help increase the proportion of beneficial bacteria in the breast and thus aid in preventing the risk of breast cancer.

The findings showed that Lactobacillus and Streptococcus—considered to be health-promoting bacteria —were more prevalent in healthy breasts than in cancerous ones. Both groups have anti-carcinogenic properties.

A new study, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, shows that regular consumption of probiotics may help increase the proportion of beneficial bacteria in the breast and thus aid in preventing the risk of breast cancer. Lactobacillus and Streptococcus are considered to be health-promoting bacteria and these were more prevalent in healthy breasts than in cancerous ones. Both groups of bacteria are known to have anti-carcinogenic properties.

In the study, the team obtained breast tissues from 58 women who were undergoing lumpectomies or mastectomies for either benign (13 women) or cancerous (45 women) tumours, as well as from 23 healthy women who had undergone breast reductions or enhancements.

"Our work shows that women, especially those at a higher risk for breast cancer, take probiotic lactobacilli to increase the proportion of beneficial bacteria in the breast," said Gregor Reid, Professor at Western University in Canada. Conversely, women with breast cancer also showed elevated levels of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis, the harmful bacteria, known to induce double-stranded breaks in DNA in HeLa cells (cultured human cells).