The impact of historical breastfeeding practices on the incidence of cancer in France in 2015
Menée en France à partir des données 2013 du réseau national des registres des cancers (FRANCIM), des données 2015 de l'INSEE et des durées d'allaitement issues de la cohorte Epifane, cette étude estime, pour l'année 2015, le nombre de nouveaux cas de cancer du sein (1 712 cas) et de cancer de l'ovaire (411 cas) attribuables à une durée d'allaitement inférieure à celle recommandée (durée recommandée par enfant : supérieure ou égale à 6 mois)
Purpose : The purpose of the study was to estimate the number of new breast cancer cases in France in 2015 attributable to breastfeeding for durations below recommendations (at least 6 months per child), and cases prevented through historical breastfeeding. As a secondary analysis, the corresponding numbers for ovarian cancer were estimated. Methods : Historical breastfeeding data were obtained from population surveys. Duration of breastfeeding data were obtained from the French Épifane cohort study. Relative risks were obtained from meta-analyses, cohort, and case–control studies. Cancer incidence data were obtained from the French Network of Cancer Registries. A 10-year latency period was assumed. Results : Among parous women 25 years of age and older, 14.1% breastfed for at least 6 months per child born before 2006. As a result, 1,712 new breast cancer cases (3.2% of all new breast cancer cases) were attributable to breastfeeding for < 6 months per child, while actual breastfeeding practices prevented 765 breast cancer cases. Furthermore, 411 new ovarian cancer cases (8.6% of all new ovarian cancer cases) may be attributable to breastfeeding for < 6 months per child, with breastfeeding preventing 163 ovarian cancer cases. Conclusions : The historically low breastfeeding prevalence and duration in France led to numerous avoidable cancer cases.