Deodrant Chemicals Linked With Breast Cancer.

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Deodorant Chemicals Linked With Cancer

 

The most common group of chemicals found in cosmetics and deodorants

has been detected for the first time in human breast cancer tissue,

reports HealthDayNews, Reuters, and the London Sunday Times. Called

parabens, the chemicals are the most widely used preservatives in the

United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration. They

are commonly found in shampoos, foundations, facial masks, hair-

grooming aids, nail creams, and permanent wave products under the

names methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben. The

greatest concern is for underarm deodorant and antiperspirant

products since they are applied topically and absorbed through the

skin.

 

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Parabens were present in 20 out of 20 breast cancer tumors tested by

oncology expert Philippa Darbre, a lecturer in cellular and molecular

biology at Britain's Reading University. In addition, the level of

parabens in four of the samples was so high, it could have a damaging

biological effect on cells, she told the London Sunday Times.

 

This isn't the first time underarm deodorants have been linked to

breast cancer. A 2002 study concluded there was no relationship. Find

out more about that study here.

 

Previous research has shown that parabens act like the hormone

estrogen and promote tumor growth at the cellular level. But this

groundbreaking British research goes further. " We have always been

assured that parabens could not get into the body. This study shows

that it does. To my knowledge, no one else has done that, " Darbre

explained to Reuters.

 

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how to do a breast self-exam.

 

Although there appears to be a link between breast cancer tumors and

parabens, it's not yet clear what the relationship is. " It's

preliminary, but I think that it's a little worrisome, and I think

there's definitely enough data here to suggest that more work needs

to be done to look at this issue, " Dr. Bert Petersen, a breast

surgeon and director of the Family Risk Program at Beth Israel

Medical Center in New York City, told HealthDayNews. " I don't think

it can be dismissed. " He would like to find out if women who don't

have cancer have very low levels of parabens. " Then you would start

to move towards maybe this isn't just an association, " he

said. " There might be a causal effect here. " The British study

findings were published in the January/February issue of the Journal

of Applied Toxicology.

 

Alarming new research shows breast cancer undertreatment is common in

the United States, and experts say women may be dying unnecessarily

as a result.