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Researchers say chemical exposure may increase breast cancer risk

Category: Breast

Women who were exposed to certain chemical early on in their life may benefit from breast cancer testing, as new research suggests that this may harm breast development and increase the risk of tumors.

Researchers from the National Institutes for Environmental Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Silent Spring Institute found that several common chemical agents found in plastics, flame-retardant materials and pesticides may impact breast development, impair a woman's ability to breast feed and increase her risk of cancer significantly, according to HealthDay News.

In light of their findings, the team is calling for stiffer testing regulations in order to determine the full extent of risk that women face due to exposure to these chemicals. They said that the mammary glands are much more sensitive to potentially harmful chemicals than other parts of the body, particularly during their development.

More than 40,000 women died from breast cancer in 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Determining the cause of this high number could be a key to containing it in the future.