(This excellent article is suppressed or censored by Google News likely because of use of the word sex.  You may find the link to this article on www.news.google.com.)

By David Liu, PHD

Sunday July 29, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Being lesbian or bisexual and cohabiting with same sex partners may boost risk for developing fatal breast cancer, according to a study published May 15, 2012 in Journal of Women's Health.

The study led by Susan D. Cochran and Vickie M. Mays of University of California in Los Angeles, California found women in same-sex couples were more than triple as likely as those in different sex relationships to develop fatal breast cancer.

The association was derived from an analysis of data from 136,865 lesbian or bisexual women aged 18 to 80 who claimed to be a male or female and had a co-residential relationship partner.

Although lesbian and bisexual women cohabiting with same sex partners were found at higher risk for fatal breast cancer, the overall risk for mortality in this group of women did not differ from those living in a conventional marriage.

According to the study report, lesbians and bisexual women have been found in the past more likely than other women to have more risk factors for breast cancer.  

The King County of the state of Washington posted a medical information webpage on its website saying that lesbians are less likely to seek routine health care such as mammogram screening, professional breast exams, and breast self-exams regularly.  These women are also less likely to give birth by age 30 if at all, which increases risk of breast cancer.  Additionally, these women may be more likely to use alcohol and have high body mass index (obesity and overweight), both linked to a high risk for breast cancer.

Breast cancer is expected to be diagnosed in more than 220,000 women in 2012 in the United States, and the disease will kill about 37,000 in the same year in the country, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Breast cancer is preventable in many cases.  There are many things women can do to reduce their risk for the disease.   The most important things that they can do include having a full term pregnancy at a young age, avoiding alcohol, exposure to medical radiation, which is used to diagnosed diseases and treat cancer, hormone replacement therapy, and hormone-based contraceptives.