These 3 environmental and chemical factors increase the risk of breast cancer

The chances of suffering from this disease increase if the body is exposed to different elements. Here we tell you which ones

Breast cancer represents 16% of the cancers that women can suffer, according to the WHO. In our article on the international day of the fight against breast cancer, we highlighted that 152,000 cases are diagnosed annually in Latin America, which makes breast cancer the main cause of death due to malignant tumors.

Leer en español: Estos 3 factores ambientales y químicos aumentan el resiego de padecer cáncer de seno

The risk factors to suffer from this disease are varied and range from bad habits to family history. However, there are other factors that are related to being exposed to pollutants and chemicals harmful to the body.

What factors increase the chance of getting breast cancer?

1. Pollution

According to the scientific publisher BioMed Central, women who live in areas with a high level of fine particles, due to air pollution, are more likely to have dense breasts. This is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer, so that pollution becomes a trigger for this disease.

The study states that "for each one-unit increase in the concentration of fine particles (PM2.5), a woman's probability of having dense breasts increased by 4%. Women with dense breasts were approximately 20% more likely to have been exposed to higher concentrations of PM2.5. In contrast, women with less density or breasts with more fat tissue were 12% less likely to be exposed to high concentrations of PM2.5".

Also read: Pollution affects your baby's health

It should be noted that breast density is measured by means of mammography, so we recommend consulting your doctor to perform controls; especially if you live in an area with high levels of air pollution.

2. Exposure to chemicals

Different studies have shown that exposure to chemicals increases the possibility of breast cancer. A study conducted by the Silent Sprin Institute found that a total of 216 chemicals increase the chances of suffering from this type of cancer.

In fact, according to the EurekAlert! portal, "early exposure to DDT, dioxins, highly fluorinated chemical PFOSA, and air pollution are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer two to five times", Unfortunately, early exposure further increases the odds; being exposed during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence widens the risk of developing this disease. During these stages, the body is changing rapidly dividing cells, making it more susceptible for chemicals to affect the body.

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Kathryn Rodgers, scientist at the Silent Springs Institute, draws attention to the daily contact we have with different chemicals that in a few doses can also trigger this disease. For example, many everyday products contain BPA and phthalates. These chemicals are endocrine disruptors, which means that they interfere with the body's hormones and can produce effects at low doses. In studies with animals, it is evident that there is a relationship between breast cancer and endocrine disruptors. Although results in humans are limited, contact with these products can trigger different diseases.

To combat this problem, Rodgers and Dr. Julia Brody affirm that policies of safe chemicals for the population must be established, as well as environmental protection policies that are much more effective and global.

As consumers, we can look for products that do not have these chemicals and inform us about which ones are the most harmful.

3. Exposure to LED light

According to the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), the exposure to blue light usually emitted by LED light bulbs is related to the development of breast cancer. In this case, exposure to this type of light not only triggers breast cancer but also prostate cancer.

Martin Aubé , professor of physics at CÉGEP in Sherbrooke, Canada and co-author of the study, says that "the International Agency for Research on Cancer of WHO (IARC) has classified night work as probably carcinogenic to humans. There is evidence pointing to an association between exposure to artificial light at night, interruption of the circadian rhythm, and breast and prostate cancers".

The results of the research show that participants exposed to higher levels of blue light had a 1.5 and 2 times higher risk of developing breast and prostate cancer, respectively, compared to the less exposed population.

LatinAmerican Post | Marcela Peñaloza
Translated from “Estos 3 factores ambientales y químicos aumentan el resiego de padecer cáncer de seno”

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