# Do bras cause breast cancer **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050 "2004-06-18T15:39:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![delurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@delurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delurker)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/1 "2004-06-18T15:39:37Z")
My wife has been to see a doctor recently about a breast lump. It turned out to be nothing to worry about, but my wife has been looking at a number of websites to lean more. She found a number of websites that linked wearing a bra to a higher incidence of breast cancer, and on further searching, found no health benefits to wearing a bra. Some claim that a bra decreases sagging, but most sites claim bras simply hide the appearance of sag, while actually increasing the amount of sag. So, what’s the straight dope? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/2 "2004-06-18T16:31:15Z")
No, that’s silly. Bras don’t cause breast cancer any more than underwear causes prostate cancer. As for the sagging issue, well, have you seen photos of native women in _National Geographic_? Compare them to women of a similar age here, then tell me bras do nothing to prevent sagging. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![delurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@delurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delurker)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/3 "2004-06-18T16:57:59Z")
I know it may seem silly to some, but some sites are quite adamant about a link between bras and breast cancer. Here are some links. Be careful, some medical images related to this subject may not be considered approprate. Viewer discretion is advised. [http://www.007b.com/bras\_breast\_cancer.php](http://www.007b.com/bras_breast_cancer.php) > **[Breatheology: Optimize Your Health and Performance](https://www.breatheology.com)** > > Breatheology is a global platform where you can learn how to optimize your breathing for better health and performance. [http://www.nzhealth.net.nz/cancer/bra.shtml](http://www.nzhealth.net.nz/cancer/bra.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/4 "2004-06-18T17:03:44Z")
The whole “bras cause breast cancer” thing was an urban legend that circulated around 5 years ago. It was roundly debunked on snopes, but [this](http://www.snopes.com/toxins/breast.htm) is all I could find on it. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/5 "2004-06-18T17:14:09Z")
The American Cancer Society says [no](http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MED/content/MED_6_1x_Underwire_Bras.asp?sitearea=MED). > [@](#): > > There are no scientifically valid studies that show a correlation between wearing bras of any type and the occurrence of breast cancer. Two anthropologists made this association in a book called Dressed to Kill. Their study was not conducted according to standard principles of epidemiological research and did not take into consideration other variables, including known risk factors for breast cancer. There is no other, credible research to validate this claim in any way. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/6 "2004-06-18T17:58:04Z")
> [@delurker](#): > > I know it may seem silly to some, but some sites are quite adamant about a link between bras and breast cancer. Here are some links. Be careful, some medical images related to this subject may not be considered approprate. Viewer discretion is advised. > > [Breatheology: Optimize Your Health and Performance](http://www.breathing.com/articles/brassieres.htm) From this site: > [@](#): > > Nine Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer > > Step One: Eliminate chronic constriction from brassieres. > Brassieres can restrict blood flow, increase heat, force shallow breathing, lower blood oxygen, increase breathing rates, restrict lymphatic function. Relieving the Trauma of Mammography > > Step Two: Choose Organically Grown Foods > > Step Three: Follow a predominantly raw living food diet. > > Step Four: Minimize Your Exposure to Toxic Chemicals > > Step Five: Avoid Alcohol > > Step Six: Exercise moderately and regularly > > Step Seven: Pray or Meditate > > Step Eight: Consume daily one ounce of water per pound of body weight > > Nine: Use regular internal cleansers like Oxycleanse 'Nuff said? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/7 "2004-06-18T19:11:32Z")
Has anyone checked for a correlation between breast size and cancer? Becuase of course women with biggers breasts more often wear bras. On the other hands, it kinda looks like the dudes that think there is a cause/effect with bras & cancer seem not to have worried about who actually wore bras but compared the overall breast cancer rates in groups of women in who’s country they don’t wear bras compared to “civilized” countries. If so- that’s hokum. In “primative” nations people just plain don’t live as long as those in “western” nations. Cancer \*tends to be \* a killer of the old, not of the young. Thus, if you die of something else before you’d die of breast cancer, then the breast cancer rates would be low. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/8 "2004-06-19T02:01:23Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Has anyone checked for a correlation between breast size and cancer? Becuase of course women with biggers breasts more often wear bras. And men have very, very small - nay, _vestigal_ - breasts, wear no bras at all (well, maybe a very few exceptions) and yet several thousand a year get breast cancer, even so. \*_NO, BRAS DO NOT \* CAUSE BREAST CANCER!!!_ It’s bunk. Hokum. Weehocky. Cow-patties. Even if the idjits pushing this “theory” are sincere and adamant, they’re still wrong. Bras cause sagging? _How ridiculous._ Not even worth dignifying with a rebuttal. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/9 "2004-06-19T18:47:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Nine: Use regular internal cleansers like Oxycleanse I haven’t checked the site itself, but am I right in assuming that it just _happens_ to also sell said “Oxycleanse”? **delurker** - I work in a medical lab and run molecular tests for lots of different kinds of cancer. If you can think of a mechanism by which wearing a bra can screw up your DNA, I’d like to hear it, because I sure can’t think of one. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/10 "2004-06-19T18:53:32Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > I haven’t checked the site itself, but am I right in assuming that it just _happens_ to also sell said “Oxycleanse”? Wow, you must be freakin’ [psychic](http://www.breathing.com/oxy-cleanse.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Meister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Der\_Meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Meister)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/11 "2004-06-19T20:44:38Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > 'Nuff said? So that site wants me to drink 190 ounces of water a day? I’m sorry, but the site seems pretty stupid. ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/12 "2004-06-19T21:18:05Z")
> [@delurker](#): > > [http://www.007b.com/bras\_breast\_cancer.php](http://www.007b.com/bras_breast_cancer.php) From that site: > [@](#): > > The only purpose of bras is to emphasize the sexual nature of breasts. Nope, I’m sorry. Wrong. The only purpose of my bra is to keep them off my knees, thanky-ver-much. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/13 "2004-06-21T04:03:57Z")
… and saliva causes stomach cancer. But don’t worry, only if swallowed in small amounts over a long period of time. ## Peace. Joke courtesy of George Carlin. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/14 "2004-06-21T05:29:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Step Seven: Pray Well there goes my breasts… ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/15 "2004-06-21T05:36:05Z")
> [@flamingbananas](#): > > Well there goes my breasts… I’m sure you can find someone to hold 'em up for ya. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/16 "2004-06-21T14:02:25Z")
My bras have two basic functions – one, to keep my nipples from showing through my clothes, and two, if the girls are sore because of hormones they do feel better in a bra instead of hanging on their own. Owie. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-bras-cause-breast-cancer/251050/17 "2004-06-21T14:23:01Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Has anyone checked for a correlation between breast size and cancer? Becuase of course women with biggers breasts more often wear bras. Indirectly. There is a correlation between breast size and obesity, and [between obesity and breast cancer,](http://cis.nci.nih.ov/fact/3_70.htm)so there is some correlation between breast size and cancer. This may have something to do with the OP. Regards, Shodan