The Potential Link Between Left-Handedness and Increased Breast Cancer Risk

The world is made with right-handed individuals in mind. Trying to use scissors with your left hand will not work. In big lecture rooms, fixed desks are usually located on the right. Have you ever observed that you have to swipe on the right side of older credit card machines?

Researchers are still baffled as to why some people prefer their left hand despite the fact that 10% of people are left-handed. According to MedlinePlus, some people think that a child’s handedness is influenced by up to 40 genes and their developmental stage.

There are numerous stereotypes about left-handedness, including the idea that they are more intelligent or creative, but some scientific research indicates that right- and left-handed people may have different health outcomes. According to a widely referenced 2007 British Journal of Cancer paper, there may be a connection between left-handedness and a higher risk of breast cancer.

Specifically, following menopause, left-handed women had a 2.5-fold increased risk of breast cancer compared to right-handed women. Nonetheless, there has been disagreement about studies that connect left-handedness to cancer.

A report published in Epidemiology in 2007 tracked over 12,000 Dutch women over a 13-year period. A total of 252 women died throughout that time. After comparing the death rates of left- and right-handed individuals, the researchers discovered that left-handers were twice as likely to die from breast cancer and had a 70% greater chance of dying from cancer overall.

Additionally, their risk of dying from colorectal cancer was increased fourfold. According to the researchers, the restricted number of participants who passed away during the study had an impact on the research findings.

A 2007 Epidemiology editorial challenged much of the left-handedness studies. The author stated, “I should probably mention that I am left-handed at this point. Having managed to avoid a lot of ailments, I doubt that my left hand is dragging me too soon to the hereafter.

Nevertheless, regardless of the alleged ailments experienced by left-handers, I am not alone in believing that the literature on handedness suffers from several flaws.” Susan G. Komen concluded that the supposed correlation between left-handedness and breast cancer was fiction due to the contradictory nature of the studies. The group pointed out that a number of further research have shown that left-handed individuals do not have a higher risk of breast cancer.

A 2003 paper in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention examined the relationship between left- or right-handedness and brain tumor risk. According to the findings, people who considered themselves ambidextrous or left-handed were less likely to get brain tumors than people who considered themselves right-handed. Both men and women, as well as tumors on the left or right side of the brain, showed a decreased risk. The experts advised that more study is necessary to fully validate these results.

Because favorable findings are more likely to be published, McGill believes that the study demonstrating a link between left-handedness and health may be the result of publication bias, which leaves readers unaware of the existence of unpublished studies that find no correlation. In a survey, left-handedness may be included as an additional item that has no bearing on handedness; if a connection is discovered, the results will be published.

If not, the research makes no mention of it. It also brought attention to the startling implications of some of the left-handedness study findings that are frequently reported in the media. This frequently helps to spread misconceptions and fallacies about research.

Health Digest By Beth Bradford contributed to this report