Breastfeeding as a Protective Factor against Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Breast cancer accounts for 24.5% of all cancer cases and 14% of all cancer deaths in women globally. Breastfeeding is thought to lower the risk of breast cancer mainly through two mechanisms; differentiation of breast tissue and a decrease in the total number of ovulatory cycles throughout a woman's lifetime. The objective of this systematic review is to investigate the published literature that studied breastfeeding and its duration as a possible protective factor for the development of bre