Moles a warning over breast cancer?
Medical researchers have come up with a new reason to keep an eye on those common skin growths known as moles.
A new study suggests women with more moles may have a higher risk of breast cancer.
Many of us have moles, and most of the time they are completely harmless.
But new research suggests the number of moles a woman has may be linked to her risk of developing breast cancer.
The US study found multiple moles may be a visual clue to elevated female blood hormone levels and increased hormone levels are a known link to cancer.
Terry Slevin, a Director of Education and Research at Cancer Council WA, said: “It's a new finding, it's interesting, it needs more investigation, but at this stage it's still very early days.”
Nearly 75,000 nurses were monitored over 24 years. Those with no moles had about an eight per cent chance of developing breast cancer. But those with 15 or more moles, had an 11 per cent chance. That is around a 35 per cent greater risk.
Dr Alison Butt, of the National Breast Cancer Foundation, said: “Certainly there is a lot of further study before we could start suggesting are counting their moles and linking that to breast cancer risk.”
Scientists stress this research does not mean moles cause breast cancer but they do believe they may be linked to estrogen and testosterone levels.
Dr Slevin added: “It's a clue, it's a piece in the big jigsaw puzzle of what causes cancer."
Analysis by Dr Andrew Rochford
'“Even, if like many other people you have lots of moles, it does not mean you need to panic.
It's an exciting discovery, but we don't yet fully understand the importance of the link.
It's still far more important to stay alert to the well established predictive risk factors, like a strong family history, smoking and alcohol, and hormonal risk factors.”
