Breast cancer risk down 30 percent in women who exercise weekly

A new breast cancer study out Monday has some good news for women looking for ways to prevent the disease.

ABC News reported new findings, published in the June 25 issue of the journal Cancer, found mild but consistent exercise helped reduced the risk of breast cancer both during reproductive years and after menopause.

The study of 3,000 women from Long Island, New York found women who exercised 10 to 19 hours a week had a 30 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer.

The effects of physical activity were strongest among postmenopausal women, ABC reported.

"The observation of a reduced risk of breast cancer for women who engaged in exercise after menopause is particularly encouraging given the late age of onset for breast cancer," study author Lauren McCullough, a doctoral candidate at UNC's Gillings School of Public Health said in a news release, CBS News reported.

However, HealthDay wrote the study found gaining significant weight, particularly after menopause, increased the risk of breast cancer, negating the positive effect of exercise.

Also on Monday, new information about the link between IVF and breast cancer.

The Daily Mail reported a study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility found women who started taking fertility drugs and went through IVF in their mid-20s had a 56 per cent greater chance of developing breast cancer.

The Australian study found there was no increased risk for women who were 40 years old or older.

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