Imagine your body equipped with local guards standing watch against the earliest signs of threat – even decades after childbirth. A team at Australia's Peter MacCallum Cancer Center has revealed just that: breastfeeding doesn't just feed a newborn – it reshapes your immune landscape to fend off cancer.
Published in Nature, the study shows that a full cycle of pregnancy, breastfeeding and breast recovery drives specialized CD8+ T cells to set up permanent residency in breast tissue. These 'guard' cells stay on alert, targeting abnormal cells that might otherwise develop into breast tumors – especially the aggressive triple-negative type.
In preclinical models, subjects with this reproductive history were far better at slowing or stopping tumor growth – and only when those T cells were present. The findings were mirrored in data from over 1,000 breast cancer patients: those who breastfed had tumors rich in CD8+ T cells and enjoyed higher survival rates.
For years, hormonal shifts were thought to explain why childbearing lowers cancer risk. Now, we have a clear immune-driven mechanism. This insight could lead to novel strategies in breast cancer prevention and treatment, from vaccines to targeted therapies that mimic the protective power of breastfeeding.
With breast cancer the most common cancer among women in Australia – around 58 diagnoses each day – and rising rates in younger groups, these discoveries offer a fresh, science-backed path to protection.
Reference(s):
Australian study finds breastfeeding helps prevent breast cancer
cgtn.com
