Post-pregnancy breast changes
The years after pregnancy involve specific changes in the breasts. After breastfeeding ends, the mammary gland goes through a process to return to its pre-pregnancy state. However, this period also temporarily increases the risk of breast cancer, especially in women with a genetic tendency toward the disease.Study on a known drug
A study published in Cancer Discovery examined cabergoline, a drug that lowers prolactin levels and can stop lactation. Researchers investigated whether this drug might also influence the risk of breast cancer after pregnancy.Experiments on mice
Scientists tested cabergoline on mice genetically predisposed to breast cancer. A single dose given after lactation delayed tumor development and reduced their occurrence. The drug also seemed to speed up the process of the mammary gland returning to its normal state after weaning.Analysis of European women
To see if similar effects occurred in humans, researchers looked at two large European groups of women. In Spain, 27,467 women were followed for ten years after their first pregnancy, and 1,604 had used cabergoline. Only two breast cancers were found in the group that used the drug, compared to 125 in the rest of the group.Combined results from two studies
In Norway, 690,491 women aged 30 to 50 were studied. While a reduced risk was observed, it was not statistically significant on its own. When results from both studies were combined, cabergoline use was linked to a 69% lower risk of breast cancer.Need for further research
Although the findings are encouraging, cabergoline is not yet a recommended preventive treatment. The data comes from observational studies, which show a connection but not a direct cause. More research is needed, especially to understand how the drug might affect different types of breast cancer and to confirm its effectiveness in high-risk women.
