According to the study published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, the intake of probiotics is important to protect women against breast cancer.
The findings showed that Lactobacillus and Streptococcus, considered to be health-promoting bacteria, were more prevalent in healthy breasts than in cancerous ones.
Both groups have anticarcinogenic properties. Thus, "our work raises the question that should women, especially those at risk for breast cancer, take probiotic lactobacilli to increase the proportion of beneficial bacteria in the breast?," said Gregor Reid, Professor at Western University in Canada.
"Yet, all breast cancer begins in the ducts, so clearly exploration is critical to discovering what causes breast cancer and how we can eradicate the disease," Love said.