Early-life Chemical Exposures Critical to Later-life Breast Cancer Risk
Report finds phthalates, BPA and other chemicals pose risk;
calls for more research and stricter chemical regulation
San Francisco - A scientific review article published in
the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental
Health shows that a host of chemicals that mimic or alter
the activities of natural hormones can potentially increase
breast cancer risk. A companion article outlines research
and policy priorities needed to better understand and regulate
these endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are found in everything
from pesticides to plastics to personal care products.
“The picture of breast cancer causation that emerges
is complex,” said Jeanne Rizzo, R.N., president of the
Breast Cancer Fund, the organization that presented the articles.
“While there is no single smoking gun, the trends that
emerge lead us to stop asking IF there is a link between breast
cancer and synthetic chemicals, and to instead ask how to
act to reduce our exposure, given the strong and compelling
evidence we now have.”
The scientific review article, which summarizes the findings
of more than 400 epidemiological and experimental studies,
indicates that exposures to common chemicals and radiation,
alone and in combination, are contributing to the increases
in breast cancer incidence observed over the past several
decades. This article comes at a time when the public and
lawmakers’ attention is particularly focused on two
of the “bad actor” chemicals covered in the piece:
phthalates and bisphenol A. On February 10, a federal ban
on phthalates in toys and childcare articles goes into effect—a
response to growing evidence that these plasticizers can disrupt
hormones and trigger early puberty (a risk factor for later-life
breast cancer), among other health concerns. And there is
mounting pressure to regulate bisphenol A, a synthetic estrogen
that has been linked to breast cancer and is used in plastic
baby and water bottles, as well as in the lining of food and
baby formula cans.
“Early-life exposures to endocrine disruptors like
phthalates and BPA—particularly during fetal development
and childhood, but also continuing through first childbirth
and breastfeeding—are closely linked to later-life breast
cancer risk,” said Janet Gray, Ph.D., lead author of
the scientific review article. “These compounds have
yet to be classified as carcinogens, even though recent studies
show an explicit health risk.”
Other risks discussed in the scientific review article include
the pesticides DDT and atrazine; air pollutants called polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons; hormone replacement therapy; and ionizing
radiation. The companion article outlines the federal and
state regulation needed to protect against and reduce environmental
exposures, as well as the research required to better understand
and track toxic exposures.
Janet Nudelman, lead author of the companion article, noted
that “The science linking environmental toxins like
phthalates and BPA to increasing rates of breast cancer is
clear and compelling. It is imperative that we use this impressive
and growing body of evidence to more strictly regulate these
unsafe chemicals. We have a responsibility to our children
and grandchildren to take action now that could prevent breast
cancer diagnoses in 10, 20 or 50 years.”
Scientific review article abstract at http://www.ijoeh.com/index.php/ijoeh/article/view/858
Policy article abstract at http://www.ijoeh.com/index.php/ijoeh/article/view/859
For PDFs of the full articles, please e-mail scoughlin@breastcancerfund.org
The Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization
working to identify and eliminate the environmental causes
of breast cancer. www.breastcancerfund.org
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