胸罩與乳腺癌 

文：Ralph L. Reed博士      翻譯：陶亦然

雖然我是個環境化學傢（生物化學博士），我最近在閲讀國家醫學資料庫的一篇文章之後進行了許多關於乳腺癌的研究。那篇文章記載了戴胸罩與不戴胸罩的女士的患乳腺癌比率。

那項哈佛研究使我耐人尋味，並且我在醫學文學中尋找了一些有可能性的理由。1996年一月份，我發現了Singer和Grismaijer的書籍，其中的對有故障的淋巴流程的解釋讓我很好奇。之後我讀遍了一切我能找到的關於淋巴流程。我所發現的讓我很驚訝，可是在這裡不能細説。若有人想知道詳細情況，我可以提供。總之，Singer和Grismaijer揭發的道理是：戴胸罩超過12小時的女人比不超過12小時的有明顯得高的患乳腺癌率。

一直戴胸罩的女人有了一個3/4的得乳腺癌的可能性。（在他們的研究中，癌症組為n=2056，標準組為n=2674）。

戴胸罩超過一天12小時，可是不戴到床上有了一個1/7的風險。

不超過12小時的有了一個1/152的風險。

不戴或很少戴者有了一個1/168的得乳腺癌風險。總共一直戴者與不戴者的風險有個125倍的差異。

縱然不是一個“受控制的研究項”，其結果非常引人注目。記得大部分醫學刊物出版的乳腺癌研究項表明的風險數字都在三倍之下的。也應該注意到的是，Singer和Grismaijer還考察了過去胸罩穿戴行爲。其方法對於如乳腺癌要長期發展的疾病是很好的。在他們的書裏，作家們讓人知道大部分的被確定的致乳腺癌因素都可以說是有關胸罩穿戴行爲及（或）淋巴體系。

比如，懷孕與餵奶導致乳腺得到完整的發展。還有，女人越有錢越容易得乳腺癌，且很容易預料她們戴胸罩的時間會更長。會鍛煉身體的女人有更低的得病率，其可能有關更好的淋巴循環和——我個人想附加——更多的乳腺動作。

我覺得這個談話應該包括動作因素，因爲在許多淋巴組織，尤其是初期的淋巴組織，循環要依靠*動作*。你坐飛機的時候，時間長了你的腳會腫起來，這是因爲你的淋巴循環幾乎降到零了。戴著胸罩，尤其是那種壓迫性高，有下綫的，而尤其在床上，會遏制正常淋巴流程並且很有可能會導致anoxia（缺氧症）。缺氧症與纖維變症有關，纖維化有關乳腺癌。

女性是在乳腺一直自由活動的情況下進化了。我閲讀了科學文獻後，我覺得動作跟壓縮因素對淋巴流程可能是一樣重要的因素。運動時，乳腺的每個微小的顛簸都會輕輕地按摩乳房，增加淋巴流程，從而有助於乳房排掉細胞新陳代謝引起的廢物和毒物。

當然，胸罩也有可能有其他方面的危害。一個之一可能是溫度。乳腺是外在的器官，其自然應該有個更低的溫度。癌病很多是對溫度有依賴。乳腺癌是依賴荷爾蒙的，而溫度可以改變荷爾蒙功能的。在一個月期間，乳腺會發生溫度變化。

這些事實都來自醫學文獻。不管是什麽結果，最終會有人能解釋爲什麽Singer和Grismaijer找到了那麽驚人的問題，無胸罩者與不斷戴胸罩者閒的得乳腺癌率怎麽有一個125倍的差異。

如果還沒有的話，我建議你閲讀Singer和Grismaijer所著的書：《迷人致死的衣服》，Avery出版社，1995年。（順便說，我跟作家們沒有關係，我想他們可能住在加拿大）。

還有一個有趣的實驗：下次在馬路上步行，注意到胸罩有多大的壓縮力。連在黑色T卹那麽不透明的東西上，在很多女人胸部側面上可以看到凹進去的地方。

我的一個物理治療傢朋友在閲讀《迷人致死的衣服》之後，告訴我她在某家本地醫院做醫生時所見到的很讓人驚訝。她發現很多女人身上有胸罩致使的、紅色的折疊處和紋路。Singer和Grismajer也建議你乾脆嘗試停止戴胸罩兩周看感覺如何。

順便說，我聽説他們在策劃一項新的研究。其研究目標是發現良性的纖維囊性的乳腺疾病是否能以八周停戴胸罩來治療。那應該很有趣，聽説這次會讓醫生參加進去的。

多年以前，很多人認爲香煙致肺癌的概念好笑。即使進一步的、加強控制性的研究衹能表明一個五倍，甚至一倍的差異，這不會是什麽好笑的事。

Bras and Breast Cancer

by Ralph L. Reed, Ph.D.

Although I am an environmental chemist (Ph.D in biochemistry), I have been doing a lot of literature research on breast cancer since I saw an article on the National Library of Medicine database over a year ago. That article documented an increase in breast cancer rates between women who do wear bras versus those that do not.

That Harvard study fascinated me and I searched the medical literature for possible explanations. In January 1996, I discovered the book by Singer and Grismaijer and their explanation of impaired lymphatic flow intrigued me. I have since read everything that I can find on lymphatic flow. What I have found has amazed me, but that is another story. I can supply you with lots of info if you like. In essence, what Singer and Grismaijer found was that the odds of getting breast cancer dramatically increased with bra-wearing over 12 hours per day.

Women who wore their bras 24 hours per day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer (in their study, n=2056 for the cancer group and n=2674 for the standard group).

Women who wore bras more than 12 hour per day but not to bed had a 1 out of 7 risk.

Women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 152 risk.

Women who wore bras rarely or never had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting breast cancer. The overall difference between 24 hour wearing and not at all was a 125-fold difference.

The results of this study are compelling, even considering that it was not a "controlled study" for other risk factors. Bear in mind that known (published in medical journals) risk factors for breast cancer are mostly in the range of less than three-fold differences. It should also be noted that Singer and Grismaijer surveyed bra-wearing behavior of the past, which is excellent for a disease with such a long development period. In their book, the authors show how most of the known risk factors can be related to bra-wearing behavior and/or the lymphatic system.

For example, breast feeding and pregnancy cause full development of the mammary lymphatics. Also, women of higher economic status have higher breast cancer rates, and one would expect that they would wear their bras more hours per day. Women who excercise have lower risk, which could relate to better lymphatic circulation (and I would add, more breast movement).

To this discussion, I would like to add that lymphatic circulation in many tissues (especially the primary lymphatics) are highly dependent on MOVEMENT. When you sit for a long time on an airplane flight, your feet and ankles can swell, because lymphatic circulation goes to near zero. Wearing a bra, especially a constricting one with underwires, and especially to bed, prevents normal lymphatic flow and would likely lead to anoxia (lower than normal oxygen content), which has been related to fibrosis, which has been linked to increased cancer risk.

Women evolved under conditions where there was BREAST MOVEMENT with every step that they took when they walked or ran. My reading of the scientific literature about lymphatic flow shows me that this may be as important as the constriction factor. Every subtle bounce of the breast while moving, walking, running, etc. gently massages the breast and increases lymphatic flow and thus cleans the breast of toxins and wastes that arise from cellular metabolism.

Of course, there may be other mechanisms for the damage that bras apparently cause. One such mechanism could be temperature. Breasts are external organs and have a naturally lower temperature. Cancers can be temperature-dependent. Breast cancer is hormone-dependent. Temperature can alter hormone function. Breast temperature changes throughout the monthly cycle.

All these facts are from the medical literature. By whatever mechanism, someone will eventually explain why Singer and Grismaijer found a 125-fold difference in cancer rates between bra-free breasts and those constricted by 24-hour-per-day bra-wearing.

If you haven't already done so, I suggest that you read the book by Singer and Grismaijer ( Dressed to Kill,Avery Press, 1995). (By the way, I have no connection to the authors; I think that they live in Canada.)

Also, just for an interesting experiment, the next time you walk down the street, notice visually how constricting bras are. On many women you can actually see "dents" around the sides of their chests where there bras are, even in something as opaque as a black t-shirt.

A physical therapist friend of mine, after reading Dressed to Kill, said that she was amazed at what she saw in her practice at a local medical clinic. She noticed how many women have red creases and grooves on the their bodies caused by their bras. Singer and Grismajer also suggest that you simply stop wearing one for two weeks and see how you feel.

By the way, I have heard that they are currently working on a new study. The research is to study whether benign fibrocystic breast disease can be treated by stopping bra-wearing for eight weeks. That should be very interesting; this time they are involving medical doctors, from what I've heard.

Years ago, many people thought that the idea of cigarettes causing lung cancer was funny. Even if further research with highly controlled studies only shows a difference of 5-fold, or even 2-fold, it will be no laughing matter.