| A great stir was caused by the recent statement | | | | or disprove these "myths." Some of these agents |
| by Sheryl Crow on national television that a | | | | may not directly cause cancer alone, but they can |
| doctor told her that women should not drink | | | | cause direct damage to genes or disrupt the |
| bottled water that has been left in a car, because | | | | immune system or alter the hormone balance in |
| the heat causes toxins from the plastic to leak | | | | such a way as to create a fertile environment for |
| into the water. She also said the doctor told her | | | | cancer cells to grow. |
| that the chemicals have been found in breast | | | | Another of these "myths" that have circulated on |
| tissue and these chemicals can lead to breast | | | | the Internet for several years is that using |
| cancer. | | | | underarm deodorants or antiperspirants that |
| Articles on the Internet referenced the websites | | | | contain parabens can cause breast cancer. And |
| of organizations that had previously addressed | | | | the consensus among scientists is there is no |
| this concern, including Breastcancer.org and | | | | connection between antiperspirants and breast |
| Plasticsmythbusters.org, which is affiliated with the | | | | cancer. |
| American Chemistry Council. Both organizations | | | | Nevertheless, researchers found six different |
| considered the connection between plastic water | | | | kinds of parabens in the breast cancer tissue |
| bottles and breast cancer risk to be "an urban | | | | samples of women who were being treated for |
| myth" and say the theory is unproven. | | | | breast cancer. All of the samples contained some |
| The fact that a direct causal connection has not | | | | parabens. The amount of parabens in the samples |
| yet been proven beyond a shred of doubt does | | | | was about equal to the amount that had caused |
| not mean that the theory is a myth. | | | | breast cancer cells to grow in test tubes in earlier |
| It has been proven that phthalates, which are | | | | studies. |
| compounds used as softeners and plasticizers for | | | | The researchers concluded that these chemicals |
| products made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) | | | | enter breast tissue from outside sources and |
| accelerate breast cell growth in animal studies. | | | | accumulate in levels high enough to trigger the |
| These chemicals have also been found to | | | | growth of breast cancer cells. Parabens are also |
| adversely affect the reproductive and endocrine | | | | used to preserve foods, medicines, and |
| system, especially in baby boys. In a recent | | | | cosmetics. So there are lots of opportunities for |
| study, phthalates were recently linked to low | | | | exposure to these chemicals. |
| testosterone levels which appears to cause | | | | Another contributor to breast cancer was |
| increased belly fat and pre-diabetes in men. | | | | recently reported in the Journal of the National |
| These softeners and plasticizers are used in a | | | | Cancer Institute. Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal |
| variety of consumer and personal care products | | | | that can build up in the body over time was linked |
| including food packaging materials, toys, and | | | | to increased breast cancer risk. |
| medical/pharmaceutical devices and drugs. The | | | | Researchers measured cadmium levels in the |
| most commonly used phthalate is DEHP. Food | | | | urine samples from a group of women and found |
| contamination has definitely been found to occur | | | | that women with the highest cadmium levels had |
| when plastic food packaging materials are made | | | | twice the breast cancer risk of those with the |
| from PVC that was treated with phthalates. | | | | lowest levels. |
| As a general rule, we should not cook or heat | | | | People may be exposed to cadmium from |
| foods in most plastics. This caveat is especially | | | | tobacco smoke and some foods such as liver, |
| applicable to old plastic containers in which the | | | | kidney, crustaceans (lobsters, crabs, and shrimp), |
| surface is eroding the concern being based upon | | | | and canned fish. People who work with cadmium |
| the fact that plasticizers are released during | | | | or in refining and smelting are also exposed, but |
| heating. Not all plastic containers are | | | | the U.S. government limits such on-the-job |
| microwaveable. Look for directions regarding this | | | | exposure. |
| on the packaging. | | | | But once again, we have the usual disclaimer: "The |
| According to a panel doctor on Breastcancer.org, | | | | study doesn't prove cadmium exposure causes |
| scientists make sure that during animal studies | | | | breast cancer. It will take more research to figure |
| they don't contaminate experiments with plastics | | | | that out." |
| by using old plastic equipment that have been | | | | There will never be ample animal studies, much |
| used and washed many times. Don't you think | | | | less human epidemiological data that prove or |
| you should be a little more concern about | | | | disprove definitively that any specific product or |
| contaminating your body? | | | | chemicals cause breast cancer in humans. I think it |
| It is possible that water left in the car where the | | | | is wise to avoid suspect materials whenever |
| temperature can almost reach the boiling point | | | | possible. There is usually enough data to conclude |
| may be cause for similar concern. It may not be | | | | whether or not a substance presents a risk that |
| one incident of drinking water from a heated | | | | is harmful to your health and may contribute to |
| plastic bottle that leads to increased cancer risk, | | | | breast cancer. |
| but an accumulation of several risky behaviors or | | | | Many of these suspect chemicals do not affect |
| exposure related to plastics just may promote | | | | only breast cancer risk; they are frequently |
| cancer. | | | | harmful to the cardiovascular system and overall |
| We don't know definitively all the causes of | | | | health. |
| cancer, but we are exposed to so many possible | | | | Consumer reaction that should result if the |
| agents that may contribute to cancer, some of | | | | available data were widely publicized could force |
| them are naturally occurring and some are | | | | consumer product manufacturers and food |
| man-made that there will never be ample | | | | packagers to search for alternatives. |
| epidemiological human studies or data that prove | | | | |