Living cells have been discovered in human breast milk. In the future, this could help scientists better understand the process that triggers breast cancer.
- One in eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime.
- In 2018, more than 12,000 breast cancer patients died in France.
In 2018, nearly 60,000 breast cancers were screened, according to the website of theHealth Insurance. For women, it is the deadliest cancer and one of the most frequent. Although there are treatments for this pathology, many patients still die from it. In a new study published in the journal NatureCommunications, researchers have established a link between pregnancy, breastfeeding and the development of this disease. Eventually, their discovery could lead to a better understanding of this cancer.
An analysis of breast milk cells…
To carry out their work, the scientists collected samples of breast milk from breastfeeding mothers and took pieces of breast tissue from non-breastfeeding women who had breast reduction surgery. Then, they used a technique to compare the composition of these two types of mammary cells and, in parallel, also analyzed more precisely the changes of these cells during lactation, that is to say the production of milk by the breast.
…shows that the cells it contains are alive
Thus, the researchers discovered that the milk cells, which the scientific community had until now considered dead or dying, were in fact alive. Armed with this discovery, they will therefore be able to use it to study the changes that occur in breast tissue during lactation, but also to determine whether certain characteristics of these living cells can be an early indicator of the future development of cancer. breast.
An answer to many questions about women’s health
“I believe that by studying the cells of human breast milk, we will be able to answer some of the most fundamental questions regarding the functioning of the mammary gland such as: how is milk produced? Why do some women have trouble producing milk? And what strategies can be put in place to facilitate breastfeeding?”, estimates Alecia-Jane Twigger, one of the researchers of the study.
Hope for new studies to better understand breast cancer
“When Alecia first told me she had found living cells in milk, I was surprised and excited about the future possibilities this discovery offered, explains Walid Khaled, one of the authors. We hope this discovery will enable future studies of the early stages of breast cancer.“. The advantage of this discovery is that the living cells present in breast milk can easily be collected and this, in a non-invasive way for women. The researchers will therefore have more breast cells to study, which will allow them to to do more studies and maybe get more results in research on breast cancer and cellular changes in breast tissue over a woman’s lifetime.
.