Night shifts linked with high breast cancer risk: Study

Women who work in night shifts may be at an increased risk of developing breast cancer, as artificial light blocks a hormone that plays a key role in suppressing growth of its tumours, claims a study.

The study, published in journal Environmental Health Perspectives, showed that women who were premenopausal and were current or past smokers, and also who live in areas with high levels of outdoor light at night, were at risk of developing breast cancer - the most common cancer in women worldwide.

"In our modern industrialised society, artificial lighting is nearly ubiquitous. Our results suggest that this widespread exposure to outdoor lights during night time hours could represent a novel risk factor for breast cancer," said lead author Peter James, Assistant Professor at Harvard University.

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Written for www.iol.co.za/