Pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in human breast lipids and their relation to breast cancer

Journal Article · · Archives of Environmental Health; (United States)

OSTI ID:5172468

Falck, F Jr ^[1]; Ricci, A Jr; Deckers, P ^[2]; Wolff, M S; Godbold, J ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (United States)
2. Hartford Hospital, CT (United States)
3. Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY (United States)

The etiology of human breast cancer is unknown; accepted risk factors, e.g., menstrual, reproductive, and family histories, are implicated in less than half of all cases. Various halogenated hydrocarbons - acting as either co-carcinogens or promoting agents - which are derived from the environment and are concentrated in human fatty stores, may also play a role in breast cancer risk. A pilot study was undertaken to measure and compare levels of chemical residues in mammary adipose tissue from women with malignant and nonmalignant breast disease. Elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, bis (4-chlorophenyl)-1,1 dichloroethene, and bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1 trichloroethane were found in fat samples from women with cancer, compared with those who had benign breast disease. These results, although preliminary, suggest a role for environmentally derived suspect carcinogens in the genesis of mammary carcinoma.

• OSTI ID: 5172468
• Journal Information: Archives of Environmental Health; (United States), Vol. 47:2; ISSN 0003-9896
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HEALTH HAZARDS
MAMMARY GLANDS
NEOPLASMS
ETIOLOGY
PESTICIDES
CARCINOGENESIS
ESTROGENS
RISK ASSESSMENT
AROMATICS
BODY
DISEASES
GLANDS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
HORMONES
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
STEROID HORMONES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology