Warning over link between deodorants and breast cancer

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1120502,00.html

 

Warning over link between deodorants and breast cancer

 

Jo Revill, health editor

Sunday January 11, 2004

The Observer

 

A controversial study which suggests a potential link between a common chemical

found in cosmetics and deodorants and breast cancer is published this week.

Researchers looked at 20 human breast tumours and found synthetic chemicals

known as parabens in 18 of them, with high concentrations in four of the

malignancies.

It is the first time parabens have been detected within tumours, suggesting that

the man-made chemicals have accumulated in the breast tissue after being

absorbed through the skin.

But the study raises more questions than it answers, and cancer charities last

night urged caution over the results, stressing that they did not prove a link

between the cosmetics, deodorants or antiperspirants and the development of

cancer.

The study, published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology , did not show if the

chemicals are also found in healthy women's breasts, or what role they might

play, if any, in the growth of tumours.

Parabens are synthetic chemicals used to preserve goods from cosmetics such as

face cream, foundation and face masks through to the methyl and propyl forms of

the chemical as food preservatives. They are also used industrially in oils,

fats, shoe polish and glues.

Dr Philippa Darbre, cancer researcher at the University of Reading, who carried

out the study said: 'Finding these chemicals in human breast tumours does

matter, because we know from other work that they can mimic the way oestrogen

works to drive the growth of cancer.

'This is the first step; we need to see whether the chemicals are present in the

healthy tissue and, if so, what the concentration levels are. But we have

detected these intact molecules and I don't think it can be ignored.

'For years people have said there is no way they could enter the body because of

our physiology, but I think it is to do with a physical overload of chemicals

and that some are being absorbed by the skin. Women managed for centuries

without these materials and it has to be asked if we really need them now.'

However, some of her previous research has been dismissed by scientists who

believe there is no clear evidence that the chemicals are linked to breast

cancer.

Instead, they blame an increase in obesity and women having children later in

life as the main reasons for the rise in breast cancer cases, from 20,000 cases

in the late 1970s to almost 40,000 cases a year now.

Darbre has carried out other studies which she says show a link between

deodorants and cancer. Previously she looked at aluminium and zirconium

contained in the materials, which she suggested would have an effect on the DNA

controlling cancer growth.

For years, there have been concerns over whether deodorants or antiperspirants

could cause the cancer, although often the rumours seemed to be more urban myth

than reality.

Scientists have explained that physiologically it would be very hard for the

chemicals to penetrate to the breast, as the lymph glands would usually clear

away any toxins.

Dr Philip Harvey, European Editor of the Journal of Applied Toxicology, said the

results should be interpreted with caution. He added that the finding was

important because it showed that 'these oestrogenic chemicals can be detected in

the breast and are therefore absorbed'.

Karol Sikora, professor of oncology at Imperial College London, said: 'We are

all exposed to all kinds of chemicals, but it doesn't mean they all cause

cancer. The question is whether the chemicals would have an impact on the

hormones, and also what level you would see in a healthy breast tissue.'

Dr Richard Sullivan, Head of Clinical Programmes at Cancer Research UK, agreed:

'It should be noted that the sample size is very small. No causal relationship

has ever been found between underarm cosmetics containing parabens and breast

cancer.'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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