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# PFOA promotes breast cancer cell invasion
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/breast_cancer_cell_invasion_teflon_0625141120/
- Published: 2014-06-26T00:19:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:18:58.000Z
- Description: Researchers at Nanjing Medical University report that PFOA above 5 nm increased the invasiveness of breast cancer cells in vitro, apparently by activating NF-kappaB. The stain-resistant chemical has been detected in the blood of 98 percent of Americans.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Environment, Health News, #vivvo-import

Wednesday June 25, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study recently published in Toxicology Letters suggests that exposure to a chemical used to make strain-resistant material that can promote breast cancer cell invasion. The stain-resistant material is used in many consumer products that need the water-repellent property of this material including clothing/fabric, cookware and furniture.

The study led by researchers at Nanjing Medical University in Nanjing, China shows that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), the chemical at a concentration of greater than 5 nm enhances the invasion ability of in vitro breast cancer cells.

The study also finds evidence that suggests that PFOA increases the invasion ability of breast cancer cells by activating nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB).

PFOA has been detected in the blood of 98% of Americans. The chemical that persists in the environment indefinitely has been detected in "industrial waste, stain resistant carpets, carpet cleaning liquids, house dust, microwave popcorn bags, water, food, some cookware and PTFE", according to wikipedia.

PFOA, also known as C8 and perfluorooctanoate, is a known toxicant and carcinogen which can cause testicular cancer and breast cancer in animals. This chemical has been considered a likely human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In addition to its potential effect on the breast cancer invasiveness, this chemical can also cause infertility in women. 

Many companies that make the fluoropolymer-based water-repellent matrial have stopped using PFOA. (David Liu, PHD)

Zhang W, Wang F, Xu P, Miao C, Zeng X, Cui X, Lu C, Xie H, Yin H, Chen F, Ma J, Gao S, Fu Z. perfluorooctanoic acid StimulateS breaSt cancer cellS invaSion and up-regulateS matrix metalloproteinaSe-2/?9 expression mediated by activating nf-κb. Toxicol Lett. 2014 Jun 21.

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