Exposure to outdoor light at night may increase your risk of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer. Age and sex are the main risk factors of breast cancers. Most commonly breast cancer is seen in women who are 50 years old or older. Other risk factors of breast cancer include family history, medical history, weight, physical activity, and alcohol consumption. If you live in towns and cities which are flooded with all sorts of artificial outdoor light at night, you may have greater chances of developing breast cancer, suggested a study recently published in the International Journal of Cancer.

The study found an association between outdoor light at night and a higher risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

Outdoor light at night and breast cancer risk

For the findings, the team from the National Cancer Institute in the US estimated outdoor light at night from satellite data and assessed rates of breast cancer over 16 years of follow-up in 186,981 postmenopausal women.

They found that women with the highest level of exposure to outdoor light at night had a 10 per cent higher risk of developing breast cancer during follow-up, compared to the lowest exposure.

The study, however, noted that the relationship between outdoor light at night and breast cancer risk may differ by individual characteristics, such as smoking, alcohol drinking, sleep duration and BMI, and neighbourhood environment.

Overall, the study concluded that higher outdoor light at night exposure may be a risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer.

Watch out for the warning signs and symptoms

Symptoms of breast cancer may not be the same for all. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some patients experience no symptoms at all. Here are some common signs of breast cancer that you should watch out for —

Lump in the breast or underarm (armpit).
Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area.
Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
Pain in any area of the breast.

Breast self-exams and routine screening are important for early diagnosis of cancer when it is most treatable.

Breast cancer treatment

Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type and stage of cancer, as well as the patient’s health status and personal preferences.

When detected at early stages (0–1), breast cancer is very treatable. Later stages of breast cancer may require more aggressive treatment as it aims to destroy cancer and prevent further growth to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Stage 4 breast cancer, also known as metastatic breast cancer, is when cancer has spread beyond the breast, underarm and internal mammary lymph nodes to other parts of the body near to or distant from the breast. At this stage, cancer is not curable, and the treatment aims to shrink cancer and prevent it from growing or spreading any farther.

Exposure to outdoor light at night may increase your risk of breast cancer

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Exposure to outdoor light at night may increase your risk of breast cancer

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