Guest guest Posted September 22, 2004 Report Share Posted September 22, 2004 , The Mercola article that your refer to is at http://www.mercola.com/2004/mar/3/antibiotics_cancer.htm The following are the three lead paragraphs: " Antibiotic use is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a study, and the more antibiotics used, the more the risk of breast cancer increased. The study of more than 10,000 women found that women who took antibiotics for more than 500 days -- or had more than 25 prescriptions -- over an average period of 17 years had more than twice the risk of breast cancer as women who had not taken any antibiotics. Even women who had between one and 25 prescriptions over the same time period were about 1.5 times more likely to get breast cancer. The results do not necessarily mean that antibiotics cause breast cancer; it could also mean that the something about the women who are using antibiotics is increasing the risk. For instance, they may be biologically predisposed to breast cancer by a hormonal imbalance that is increasing their risk for infections and prompting their antibiotic use. " There are other web pages reporting on the same study. See for example http://www.cure-guide.com/Natural_Health_Newsletter/Breast_Cancer/Breast_Cancer.\ html There were news earlier this month to the effect that an antibiotic, erythromycin, has been linked to cardiac deaths. But the death rate is only 6 per 10,000 people, and erythromycin is not among the antibiotics used to treat rheumatic diseases. See for example http://www.kron.com/global/story.asp?s=2276458 & ClientType=Printable It may be that the long-term use of antibiotics has more negative side effects than once thought. However, indications are also that negative side effects are less than for conventional rheumatic drugs, in particular Prednisone and NSAIDs such as Naproxen or Vioxx. Regards, Harald At 06:06 AM 9/22/2004 +0000, you wrote: >Hello, here >Does any one worry about the use of long term AP and breast cancer? I read >a piece on Mercola's website about using antibiotics long term could maybe >lead to breast cancer. I haven't started AP yet as I haven't found a Doc >who will take insurance. Most of the the Doc's here in Ohio want their >money up front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 22, 2004 Report Share Posted September 22, 2004 Joi, Good point. Minocycline is a tetracycline-class antibiotic. Somebody should find the actual study and report on the antibiotics that were included in the study. Different antibiotics will have different side effects. Your link also includes this paragraph: " An editorial, written by a B. Ness, MD, MPH, and Jane A. Cauley, DrPH, from the University of Pittsburgh, accompanying the study states that while more questions have been raised, the study does show the possibility that long-term use of antibiotics can have harmful effects. " Regards, Harald At 07:21 AM 9/22/2004 -0700, you wrote: >The study however did note that the risk of breast cancer was not elevated >for those who took tetracycline for acne. > >Excerpt from article > >Among women with the highest levels of tetracycline or macrolide use, risk >of breast cancer was not elevated in those using these antibiotics >exclusively for acne or rosacea (indications that could be risk factors >for breast cancer due to altered hormone levels), compared with those >using them exclusively for respiratory tract infections, adjusted for age >and length of enrollment (odds ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, >0.441.87).” > >Complete article: >http://www.pharmacist.com/articles/h_ts_0477.cfm > >--- " Harald Weiss, Technical Marketing Group " ><hweiss@...> wrote: > > > , > > > > The Mercola article that your refer to is at >http://www.mercola.com/2004/mar/3/antibiotics_cancer.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2004 Report Share Posted September 23, 2004 In my opinion too much was read into this study to really be valid. My own personal take on this is from family experience. My sister who is eight years younger than myself was always a sickly child. Prone to allergys and respiratory infections, she always caught everything and was constantly at the doctors getting medicine. As an adult she was prone to sinus infections and was on antibiotics numerous times. She has also had melanoma cancer and colon cancer. I, on the other hand, hardly ever went to the doctor. Took almost no meds until I was diagnosed with RA. Do I feel it was the antibiotic that caused cancer...no. I think that her immune system is weak and allows in all sorts of problems including cancers. Just like plants, some are hardy and resist disease, others need constant care and help. I think the increase antibiotic use of some people is directly linked to a poor immune response to disease, in other words people have bad immune systems often end up taking increased antibiotics to get well. The antibiotics did not cause the cancer, the weak immune response did. This is one reason I resisted taking so many of the standard RA drugs, I felt suppressing my immune system was not a logical thing to do given my family history. Just one viewpoint. Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2004 Report Share Posted September 23, 2004 Consider this as well. There are researchers who firmly believe the same organism that causes inflammatory rheumatic disease can and does cause cancer. I remember when I came down with polymyositis my rheumatologist, Bevra Hahn, chief of rheumatology at the time at Washington University Hospital, warned me to be on the lookout for cancer. In 1994, I was diagnosed first with a cutis leukemia. To confirm the diagnosis, slides were sent to a special lab where the diagnosis was changed to a very rare disease that can turn into Hodgkin's lymphoma, CD30 lymphoma, Kcell lymphoma or mycosis fungoides. I was able to put it in remission using nutrition/supplements and detoxification therapies. 1996, I was privileged to visit with one of these researchers and view his work and slides, and also visited the research center of another researcher (now deceased) and was given copies of her published work. It was an eye-opening experience. In the 15 years I've been active in spreading the word about this therapy, I've run across any number of people who have either had an inflammatory disease first and then came down with cancer, or who had cancer first and then rheumatic disease. Interestingly, in those cases, the patient only fought one disease at a time. Then too, I've met a number of couples where one spouse had one rheumatic disease and the other spouse had a different rheumatic disease; or one spouse had a rheumatic disease and the other had cancer. Dr. Brown said these diseases were contagious through body fluids. Protecting your immune system and enhancing it through proper diet and supplements is extremely important. Ethel ---- Original Message ----- From: <MRSROSE2000@...> <rheumatic > Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 11:20 AM Subject: Re: rheumatic AP- breast cancer > In my opinion too much was read into this study to really be valid. My own > personal take on this is from family experience. > My sister who is eight years younger than myself was always a sickly > child. Prone to allergys and respiratory infections, she always caught > everything and was constantly at the doctors getting medicine. As an adult she was > prone to sinus infections and was on antibiotics numerous times. She has > also had melanoma cancer and colon cancer. > I, on the other hand, hardly ever went to the doctor. Took almost no > meds until I was diagnosed with RA. > Do I feel it was the antibiotic that caused cancer...no. I think that > her immune system is weak and allows in all sorts of problems including > cancers. Just like plants, some are hardy and resist disease, others need constant > care and help. I think the increase antibiotic use of some people is > directly linked to a poor immune response to disease, in other words people have bad > immune systems often end up taking increased antibiotics to get well. The > antibiotics did not cause the cancer, the weak immune response did. This is > one reason I resisted taking so many of the standard RA drugs, I felt > suppressing my immune system was not a logical thing to do given my family history. > Just one viewpoint. Martha > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.