According to researchers, women whose mothers took the synthetic hormone DES while pregnant, have an almost double risk of developing breast cancer after age 40. These findings are the result of a long-term study that began in 1978, and the study is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. These findings support the theory that prenatal exposure to excessive hormones is a risk factor for breast cancer. DES daughters are urged to be vigilant in breast cancer screening, and to the extent possible avoid supplemental hormones, as female hormone supplements have also been shown to increase breast cancer risk. Also, there is an already known higher incidence of certain vaginal and cervical cancers in DES daughters.
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