Endocrine-disrupting chemicals pose cancer risk

A review article published online May 25 in Nature Reviews Endocrinology finds that endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A found in plastic pose cancer risk in adults.

Drs. Carlos Sonnenschein and Ana Soto from Tufts University say in their report that the cancer causing effect is additive and is expected to manifest in a person's adulthood.

Bisphenol A is known to have hormone-like effects in the body. The chemical is found in many household products including plastic bottles, reusable food containers, and food cans.

"Studies in rodents show that EDCs can cause harm at much lower levels if exposure happens during organ formation as opposed to exposures during adulthood," said Soto in a statement.

"The evidence indicates that exposure to BPA and other EDCs may contribute to diseases that manifest during adult life, such as increased cancer rates in the industrialized world. These chemicals have also been linked to obesity, altered behavior, and infertility," Soto added. 

Dr. Soto and colleagues on Dec 8, 2006 published a study in Reproductive Toxicology showing that exposure of female fetuses to bisphenol A may likely increase their breast cancer risk in adulthood.

"We already have ample evidence supporting policies that reduce exposure to EDCs, and we recommend rapid action to diminish these harmful environmental exposures," said Sonnenschein.

Contaminated Without Consent reports that a recent study showed that 90 percent of food cans tested positive for bisphenol A.

It says “The canned foods tested were brand name fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, soups, tomato products, sodas, and milks ... purchased from retail stores ... One can of DelMonte green beans had the highest levels of BPA ever found in canned food, at 1,140 parts per billion.”

DL