Hot Flushes and Breast Cancer Risk

Hot flushes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. Many treatments are available – both drug and alternative – with the aim of relieving women of this uncomfortable symptom. Along with other menopause symptoms, hot flushes are never viewed as positive and instead, they are typically dreaded by women.
But could the seemingly annoying hot flushes actually be serving a beneficial purpose to women’s health? A new study suggests this may indeed be the case, specifically where breast cancer risk is concerned.
Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer
It is now suggested that hot flushes could reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer. This natural reaction to menopause may have benefits we never originally imagined. The study conclusion is that women who have hot flushes and other menopause symptoms could have as much as a fifty percent reduced risk of developing breast cancer.More Hot Flushes Mean a Lower Breast Cancer Risk?
A lower breast cancer risk from hot flushes may be a reality when compared to women who have no hot flushes and other menopause symptoms. In fact, the higher the frequency and intensity of the hot flushes, the lower the subsequent breast cancer risk. The finding is perhaps a surprising one but it could mean we look at hot flushes and other menopause symptoms in an entirely different light.The study is the first one to look at menopause symptoms and the risk of breast cancer. Typically, it is menopause treatments such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that have been examined with breast cancer risk. Such treatments have been linked to a higher risk of breast cancer and other health conditions such as heart disease.