News from the Square

Constriction From Bras Is No Fiction (with March in place as Women's History Month, new scientific research out of the UK further proves Square One's authors' breast cancer theory)

GARDEN CITY PARK, NY: When it comes to brave new scientific inquiry and subsequent theories, it is truly better late than never.

This past month (February 17, 2023) brought forth an article from Science Magazine about new data written about by a trio of UK-based medical researchers. Their article "The extracellular matrix and the immune system: A mutually dependent relationship" (click here to read) shows a strong link between the body's "extracellular matrix" (ECM) and that same body's immune system strength.

The news could not have been more encouraging for husband/wife authors and medical anthropologists Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, whose landmark book Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras (now in a popular and fully updated Second Edition) first maintained that the compression of the body's lymphatic tissue (a.k.a., ECM) by constriction from bra strap and cup increases likelihood of breast cancer "to over 100 times higher for a 24/7 bra user compared to a bra-free woman."

As Singer says in his most recent statement on this newsworthy topic, "Keep in mind that tight bras worn for long periods of time daily cause compression of the ECM, as evident by marks and indentations in the skin, and this impairs immune function, which can lead to reduced resistance to cancer development. Since the ECM contains the lymphatic system, compression of the ECM also compresses the lymphatics. This adds to the results of another study of lymphatic impairment, showing how that leads to cancer. See Lymph Stasis Promotes Tumor Growth."

While it is gratifying to see that the claims of our authors from thirty years ago have only become increasingly corroborated by separate scientific inquiry over time, it would be even better if the millions of women who court the dangerous potential of getting breast cancer from wearing bras would be made more immediately aware of this simple but profound fashion choice. It seems that the science has spoken yet again—going bra-less is the best way to help keep breast cancer at bay.

For those who want to learn more about this topic—and, in particular, the pioneering work of Sydney Singer and Soma Grismaijer—then this is the time to get Dressed to Kill.