Long-Term Breastfeeding: Protective Effects Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and the Role of the Breast Microbiota.

ABSTRACT: Long-term breastfeeding is a modifiable, protective factor against breast cancer, particularly triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a highly aggressive subtype with limited therapeutic options. Recent findings suggest that the protective effects of breastfeeding are mediated not only through hormonal regulation and epithelial differentiation but also via the modulation of the breast microbiota. This review examines epidemiological data on the association between breastfeeding duration and TNBC risk reduction, highlights the composition and functions of breast microbiota in health and disease, and discusses how dysbiosis may contribute to carcinogenesis. By examining the microbiome's role in maintaining breast health, we emphasize how breastfeeding contributes to a natural defense system a

SUBMITTER: Sierra-Roca J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12473010 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature