Cancer in the bones

Bone mineral density (BMD) may one day predict breast cancer risk in older women, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. For seven years, the research team followed the health of 8,905 women who were 65 or older and initially cancer free, measuring BMD in their wrists, forearms, and heels. Eventually, 315 participants developed breast cancer. Women with the highest BMD were almost three times more likely to develop breast cancer, compared to women with low BMD. More research is needed to see whether tests for BMD might predict breast cancer in younger women.

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* National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations, 888/806-2226

(www.nabco.org)