Can cheese cause breast cancer?

There is a lot of debate on the effects of cheese on the human body. A derivative from milk, there is no doubt that cheese itself is high in calcium content.

But can this beloved food staple cause breast cancer in women?

According to resident Pinoy MD oncologist Dr. Isaac David Ampil II, there is "weak evidence" that cheese with high-fat content is linked to breast cancer.

"'Yung mga cheeses na mataas ang fat content...merong weak association with breast cancer. Having said nga, hindi pa nga conclusive 'to," Ampil said, citing several studies on how cheese was linked with breast cancer in women.

Ampil explained that cheese came from milk, which has high fat content. Milk contains high estrogen metabolites which are risk factors for breast cancer.

"'Pag ininom ng babae [ang gatas], maaaring mag-increase ang kanyang estrogen sa katawan which is a risk factor for breast cancer. Iyon 'yung theoretical explanation for that," he said.

Breast cancer is caused by excessive levels of the estrogen hormone, which can mutate in the female body.

Juvy Martillos-Sy, a member of the Nutritionist-Dietitians' Association of the Philippines (NDAP), recommended that one way to prevent breast cancer is to eat a low-fat diet of fresh fruits and vegetables.

"Sa calcium, mga sources natin or hindi lang naman siya limited sa mga animal sources or dairy products, meron din naman tayong dark green leafy vegetables na makakakuha tayo ng calcium content," Sy said.

Ampil, on the other hand, suggested that people can still eat cheese, as long as they do so in moderation.

—Angelica Y. Yang/JCB, GMA News