The specter of breast cancer has become a threat to the lives of many women, while it can be cured by 90% when early detection is done through self-examination or medical examination by radiograph and sonography. Some studies have shown that some drinks, such as coffee, are effective in preventing breast cancer. In the following, we highlight coffee and its relationship to breast cancer.
Does coffee really fight breast cancer? And what makes it effective?
Dr. Fatima Khneifis Al-Thubaiti, Consultant General Surgery at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, explains: "Most cases of breast cancer in the Kingdom are not related to the increase in coffee consumption, so we need many studies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on this issue."
The doctor points out that caffeine and the coffee that contains it contribute to protecting women from breast cancer, and the scientific evidence currently available in this regard is numerous, and here is a simple summary of it:
• A Swedish study showed that caffeine consumption may be associated with a slight decrease in the incidence of breast cancer in some women who have reached the menopausal stage.
• Another study returned results similar to the results of the study mentioned above, as it was noted that women who have passed the menopausal stage drink caffeinated coffee may contribute to reducing their chances of developing breast cancer.
Caffeine may also help reduce the chances of a woman''s breast cancer returning after recovery.
How does caffeine help prevent cancer?
Dr. Fatima says: "The mechanism by which caffeine may reduce the chances of cancer is still not completely clear, especially since the majority of studies dealt with the benefits of coffee specifically in this regard, not caffeine in particular. However, it is believed that the benefits of caffeine for cancer may be attributed to the following:
• Caffeine has natural antioxidant properties.
• The potential ability of caffeine and some other active substances that are often found with caffeine in some of its famous natural sources, such as coffee, to: protect cells from damage, regulate the work of some genes responsible for DNA repair, and resist infections.
• The potential ability of caffeine and coffee to reduce the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, which is believed to increase the chances of developing certain types of cancer, such as: liver cancer and colorectal cancer.
And the doctor adds: "The Swedish study, in which Swedish researchers concluded that coffee can protect women from the risk of breast cancer, according to what was published in the British Daily Mail in its issue of Tuesday 28.07.2015, and stated that the researchers analyzed Data collected by more than 40,000 women over two decades about their daily intake of coffee and tea.Researchers found that women who drink more than one cup of tea per day have a 19% increased risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who do not drink tea.The researchers said they did not They fully understand the mechanisms behind this, but added that there is a theory regarding the benefits of coffee, which is that it contains antioxidants that protect against damage to cells that can lead to cancer."
