Can Squeezin’ Boobs Reduce Breast Cancer?

Ok. I know this is a pretty weird one, but my friend told me about this a few years ago and it’s been on my mind since. The myth is that applying gentle amounts of pressure to breast tissue prevents breast cancer. I was told that pressure stops the cells from mutating and over-multiplying. I know it sounds pretty bizarre. But I decided to look into it and here’s what I found.

First of all, no one really knows what triggers cancer. We do know that breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast tissue divide at an abnormal rate. These cells accumulate and create lumps in the breast. Abnormal cell growth can start at the milk-producing ducts, glandular tissue, or other tissues in the breasts.

Gautham Venugopalan, a member of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory conducted several experiments to study the affects of physical pressure on malignant cells. The experiment involved the recreation of an artificial breast which was injected with malignant breast cells. The researchers then applied compressive force to the artificial breast as the cell when through their first stages of development. The results showed that over time, the malignant cells grew into more organized, healthy cells. The other malignant cells in the uncompressed artificial breast continued to multiply.

Venugopalan said, “People have known for centuries that physical force can influence our bodies. When we lift weights, our muscles get bigger. The force of gravity is essential to keeping our bones strong. Here we show that physical force can play a role in the growth – and reversion – of cancer cells.”Screen Shot 2015-09-14 at 4.20.00 PM

Daniel Fletcher, a professor of bioengineering at the same lab said, “We are showing that tissue organization is sensitive to mechanical inputs from the environment at the beginning stages of growth and development. An early signal, in the form of compression, appears to get these malignant cells back on the right track.” He goes on to say that compression in itself is not likely to be a therapy to treat breast cancer, however it gives researchers more information on different aspects of molecular structures that can be addressed when searching for new therapies.

I was more persuaded by Fletcher’s opinion on the treatment. I’m not going to go around telling people that squeezing their breast will reduce the threat of breast cancer, however it does sound like a promising phenomenon that will hopefully lead to more answers in the field of breast cancer awareness.

Other sources: CBS Atlanta