Diet May Affect Breast Cancer Risk

A new animal study suggests that the breast glands have a “microbiome” that’s influenced by diet—just like the gut! In the study, researchers found that monkeys fed a Mediterranean-style diet had a different mix of bacteria in their breast tissue than those fed a Western-style diet. Specifically, the researchers observed a ten-fold increase in lactobacillus in the mammary glands of the monkeys in the Mediterranean-style diet group, which past studies have demonstrated can inhibit breast cancer tumor growth. Cell Reports, October 2018