Do Gum (Periodontal) Diseases Increase Breast Cancer Risk?

A study published by the American Association for Cancer Research showed that postmenopausal women with periodontal disorders have a greater risk of breast cancer and that smoking also significantly affects this risk.

The study followed 73,737 postmenopausal (after menopause) women with no previous breast cancer. These individuals were classified according to their smoking habits.

Periodontal disease was detected in 26% of the women followed. These individuals were followed for approximately 7 years, and 2124 women developed breast cancer.

The researchers found that women with periodontal (gum) disease had a 14% greater risk of developing breast cancer.

When women who both smoked and had periodontal disease were examined, breast cancer risk was found to increase by up to 36%. In women who had never smoked or had quit more than 20 years earlier, increases in breast cancer risk of 6% and 8% were observed.

There are several possible explanations for the relationship between increased breast cancer risk and periodontal disease. One possibility is that periodontal disease causes systemic inflammation. Another possible explanation is that bacteria continually enter the circulatory system because of periodontal disease and affect breast tissue. However, further studies are needed to explain this relationship.