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Study highlights links between breast cancer, environmental toxins (02/05/2009)
Sara Goodman, E&E reporter

Growing evidence suggests that exposure to industrial chemicals, pesticides and other toxic substances increases the risk of breast cancer, according to an article published in yesterday's International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health.
The authors looked at more than 400 studies and concluded that common chemicals and radiation, alone and in combination, are contributing to the increases in breast cancer incidence observed over the past several decades.

"The picture of breast cancer causation that emerges is complex," said Jeanne Rizzo, president of the Breast Cancer Fund, which presented the articles, in a statement. "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 complexity is one of the most important takeaways from the review, said lead author Janet Gray. "Being exposed to a single compound may or may not increase the risk for breast cancer for everyone," Gray said in an interview. "The complexity of exposure to multiple chemicals, the complexity of the interaction with genes and lifestyles is just huge. It shows we need to be more sophisticated in how we do our science and also how we think about risks for a disease." "We have a lot of work to do," Gray added.

Some of the research that suggests a strong environmental link looked at migrating populations. For example, one study showed that women who move from countries with low breast cancer rates to nations with higher rates soon acquire the higher risk of their new country.
And early-life exposure -- both prenatal and early post-natal -- puts women at an increased risk for later reproductive problems and mammary tissue damage, Gray said.Calls for increased regulation.

The scientific literature points to a need for revamped chemical regulations, said Janet Nudelman, who wrote a companion article in the same publication advocating increased oversight and regulations. "The first article stated the evidence -- it looks at the substantial body of scientific evidence linking common chemicals and radiation alone and in combination to increasing rates of breast cancer," Gray said. "The companion piece pulls out the policy and research recommendations that emerged from the science."

Some of the recommendations include overhauling the Toxic Substances Control Act, the 1976 law governing roughly 82,700 chemicals in the United States. Environmental and health advocacy groups have been calling for TSCA reform, saying the law does not establish the necessary authority or capability to regulate all of the chemicals being used commercially.
Additionally, Nudelman called for bans of individual chemicals that she termed "bad actors," including two controversial plastics additives, phthalates and bisphenol A, or BPA.

"The science is just emerging in leaps and bounds about phthalates and bisphenol A," Gray said. "For those two chemicals, we're saying loud and clear that we have enough science to act now to regulate them more strictly."

States around the country are considering bans on BPA and phthalates. Industry groups have said that there is inadequate evidence directly linking BPA to adverse effects in humans, especially at the small doses to which most people are exposed. The majority of studies look at lab animals to determine potential harm. The American Chemistry Council, a trade group, did not respond to requests for comment on the article.

Climb On,
Jess

www.breastcancerfund.org/Climb09/Jbarton