Common consumer products may contain hundreds of chemicals that could increase our risk of developing breast cancer, scientists have warned.
While some chemicals are known to directly cause cancer, many others indirectly promote the cancer by increasing our susceptibility to the establishment and growth of certain tumors.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, affecting about 240,000 women and 2,100 men, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of these, roughly 42,000 women and 500 men die every year from the condition across the U.S.
Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast tissue grow out of control. Among the many risk factors associated with this disease is over-exposure to estrogen, progesterone and hormonal disruption. And it's not just hormonal contraception that can influence our body's hormone levels; numerous synthetic chemicals have been shown to disrupt our hormones, with potential impacts on our risk of developing various diseases.
"Breast cancer is a hormonal disease, so the fact that so many chemicals can alter estrogen and progesterone is concerning," Jennifer Kay, a research scientist at Silent Spring Institute, said in a statement. "We need new tools to identify environmental exposures that could be contributing to this trend so we can develop prevention strategies and reduce the burden of the disease."
In a new study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, Kay and colleagues searched through multiple international and U.S. government databases to identify chemicals that had been found to cause mammary tumors in animals.
They then examined data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Toxicity Forecaster program to identify chemicals that alter the body's hormones in ways that could promote breast cancer. Specifically, the team looked for chemicals that have been shown to activate the body's estrogen receptors and those that cause cells to overproduce estrogen and progesterone.
In total, the team identified 921 chemicals that could potentially promote the development of breast cancer, 90 percent—or 829—of which are commonly included in consumer products, food, drinks, pesticides, medications and workplaces.
"This new study provides a roadmap for regulators and manufacturers to quickly flag chemicals that could contribute to breast cancer in order to prevent their use in consumer products and find safer alternatives," Kay said.
Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Do you have a question about breast cancer? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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