breast cancer link to chemical exposure...

feb. 9. 2008
Today an article came out from ewg(environmental working group) about the link between breast cancer and being exposed to chemicals, from the soap we use to the perfume we wear(I don't wear perfume), to the toothpaste we put in our mouth, all are made up of chemicals. The world around us, is made up of chemicals. So how do we immune ourselves, or intake a lesser amount, so as to not contribute ourselves to the continually growing number of cancer victims? Nobody knows, but probably ingesting and rubbing on your body less amounts probably could help. Also, having a a government that could realistically set some good standards for companies to adhere to could lessen the blow substantially. But until then, it's even more our battle to fight for regulation, to be aware of what we're using and eating, and to inform others...if they care to know!

Read ahead...


EWG: Toxics

Breast Cancer Fund study finds strong cancer-chemical link
Posted: 09 Feb 2009 12:01 AM CST

A new survey of scientific evidence conducted by researchers working with the Breast Cancer Fund makes a persuasive case that the industrialized world's rising breast cancer rate may stem from exposure to radiation and chemicals in plastics, pesticides, cosmetics and other common household goods.

"Increasingly sophisticated and compelling data link radiation and various chemicals in our environment to the current high rates of breast cancer incidence," says the study, "State of the Evidence - The Connection Between Breast Cancer and the Environment," published in the February issue of the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health.


The bottom line, says Vassar College researcher Janet Gray, who led the survey team, is that "we should be concerned about the accumulated set of chemicals to which we are being exposed and to which our children are being exposed."


In a companion article, a team lead by Janet Nudelman, Director of Program and Policy at the Breast Cancer Fund, recommends a set of policy initiatives, among them, an overhaul and strengthening of federal laws that aim to limit human exposure to toxic industrial chemicals and pesticides.


The scientists targeted so-called "endocrine-disrupting" chemicals that cause changes in the body's hormone systems. They called for immediate bans on two endocrine-disruptors shown in laboratory tests to trigger cancer and other serious conditions:

 Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic estrogen and building block of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resin, associated with damage to the brain and neurological system and reproductive organs of lab animals. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, and Rep. Edward Markey, D-MA, have proposed bills to limit use of BPA in food contact or children's products.

 Phthalates, used as solvents and as "plasticizers" to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible and resilient. Phthalates have been shown to cause abnormalities in male reproductive systems. A federal ban on phthalates in toys, teethers, bibs and other children's products takes effect tomorrow (February 10, 2009).


"The picture of breast cancer causation that emerges is complex," said Breast Cancer Fund president Jeanne Rizzo. "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."