Cancer Prevention Society - Preventing Cancer at its source

The Cancer Prevention & Education Society is very grateful to Environmental Health News for alerting us to much of the news below. For an exhaustive review of the news we recommend you visit their site. www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org

People with non-Hodgkin lymphoma have higher levels of environmental contaminants in their blood than people without the disease, say researchers at the B.C. Cancer Agency. That suggests the chemicals may play a role in the disease. The cancer agency collected blood samples from almost 900 British Columbia residents, 422 of whom had non-Hodgkin lymphoma. They tested the samples for exposure to different polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides. The cancer patients had higher levels of almost every chemical they investigated, reports lead author John Spinelli, a senior scientist at the agency.

Organochlorine chemicals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been suspected as possible risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We investigated PCBs and organochlorine pesticides and risk of NHL in a population-based case-control study in British Columbia, Canada. Congeners of PCBs (including dioxin-like congeners) and pesticides or pesticide metabolites were measured in plasma of 422 pre-treatment cases and 460 control subjects. This is so far the largest study to examine organochlorines in plasma to date. Several dioxin-like PCB congeners were associated with increased risk of NHL, including dioxin-like PCB nos. 118 and 156. Several non-dioxin-like congeners also showed significant associations. The PCB congener with the strongest association was no. 180. Six pesticide analytes also showed a significant association with NHL; beta-hexachlorocyclohexane, p,p'-DDE, hexachlorobenzene, mirex, oxychlordane and trans-nonachlor. The strongest association was found for oxychlordane, a metabolite of the pesticide chlordane. Our results provide further evidence that organochlorines contribute to NHL risk.

The Cancer Prevention and Education Society wrote to Members of the European Parliament as they are a supporter of the “MEPs Against Cancer initiative” and because they have voted on a reform of the EU legislation on pesticides on 23 – 24 October (Directive on Sustainable Use of Pesticides and Regulation on the Authorisation of pesticides on the market). The Cancer Prevention and Education Society, the International Society of Doctors for the Environment and the Health & Environment Alliance are very concerned about links between pesticides and cancer and believe that both the Regulation and the Directive represent an important opportunity in relation to cancer prevention. The relevance of pesticides in carcinogenesis is steadily increasing. In children, several epidemiological studies revealed an increased relative risk of cancer associated with parental exposure to occupational or non-occupational pesticides. Moreover, a positive association has been found by several studies testing the direct exposure of children to pesticides. An extensive review of the scientific literature on environmental causes of cancer done by the University of Liverpool concluded that, “chemical environmental contaminants, in particular synthetic pesticides and organochlorines with endocrine-disrupting properties, could be major factors in cancer aetiology, particularly for hormone-dependent malignancies, such as breast, testicular and prostate cancers.”

A German study has found that young children living near nuclear power plants have a significantly higher risk of developing leukemia and other forms of cancer, a German newspaper reported on Saturday. "Our study confirmed that in Germany a connection has been observed between the distance of a domicile to the nearest nuclear power plant .... and the risk of developing cancer, such as leukemia, before the fifth birthday,"
Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper quoted the report as saying.

Common household chemical could raise breast cancer risk: experiments with rats show early exposure causes genetic changes in breast cells

A chemical found in many plastic products used in households caused accelerated breast development and genetic changes in newborn female lab rats, a condition that might predispose the animals to breast cancer later in life, a new study says. Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) is commonly used to soften polymers and plastics. It's found in everything from plastic pipes, vinyl floor tiles and carpet backing to lipstick. BBP has also been found to be an endocrine disruptor, which mimics the effect of hormones. Endocrine disruptors are known to damage wildlife and have also been implicated in reduced sperm counts and neurological problems in humans, the researchers said. Because of lasting genetic changes in the breast, exposure to BBP could increase the risk for developing breast cancer later in life.

Chemicals found in lipstick and nail varnish could trigger breast cancer, scientists warned yesterday. A study has shown that butyl benzyl phthalate, or BBP, can interfere with the healthy development of breast tissue. Environmental campaigners yesterday called for it to be banned in the cosmetic industry, where it is used to make products glossy. The man-made substance is part of the phthalate family of chemicals, which mimic the female sex hormone oestrogen. Phthalates are widely used to soften plastics and are found in food packaging, toys, carpets and solvents. Past studies have linked them to birth defects, kidney problems and infertility. They have been banned in teething rings and babies' dummies across Europe.

The results of an animal study suggest that infants exposed to BBP, a chemical additive used in pipes, vinyl floor tiles, carpet-backing, and other household items, may affect mammary gland development and perhaps increase the susceptibility to breast cancer. BBP (n-butyl benzyl phthalate) is a "plasticizer," which is added to substances such as cement, concrete and clay to increase fluidity. This study is the first "demonstrating that exposure to this compound soon after birth results in alterations in the expression of genes present in the mammary gland," senior author Dr. Jose Russo, from Fox Chase Cancer Centre in Philadelphia, told Reuters Health

Previous studies have suggested a link between pesticide use in the home and childhood hematopoietic tumors, the most common type of childhood cancer. A new epidemiologic study of French children diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma in 2003 or 2004 suggests that a child has about twice the risk of developing acute leukemia (AL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) if his or her mother used insecticides in the home while pregnant. The researchers interviewed 1,060 children diagnosed within the prior 6 months and 1,681 control children. When analyzing the data on the children, the team controlled for other factors that may alter a child's risk of getting cancer, including family cancer history and whether the child was breastfed. The children with cancer were part of the French National Registry of Childhood Blood Malignancies, begun in 1990, which documents all children in the country under age 15 year who have had hematopoietic tumors.

Rudant et al., Environmental Health Perspectives, December, 2007; 115:1787–1793.

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in more than 6,000 diet products, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. In March 2006, EHP published the first compelling experimental evidence for the carcinogenic effects of aspartame at a dose level within range of human daily intake [EHP 14:379–385; Soffritti et al.]. A second animal study by the same research team now indicates that the carcinogenic effects of aspartame are magnified when exposure begins during fetal life.

Soffritti et al., Environmental Health Perspectives, December 2007, 115:1293–1297.

City living 'breast cancer risk.' Women living and working in the city have a higher risk of breast cancer, researchers say

The study of 972 women by London's private Princess Grace Hospital found city women had much denser breasts. Previous research has shown those with the densest breast were four times more likely to develop cancer. Researchers, presenting the study to the Radiological Society of North America, said air pollution was likely to be the cause of denser breasts. It is thought air pollution contains tiny particles that mimic female sex hormones and can disrupt the make up of breasts.

Sludge carried by river water has completely filled in what was once an aquaculture pond. "Everything has died here," laments He Bao fen, staring at a cracked field. "Things will never return to the way they were." The underside of China's rapid economic development has been the increasingly serious problems posed by environmental pollution. While the government in Beijing is striving to deal with environmental issues, the extent of the degradation of people's health and the natural environment in "cancer villages" and other rural areas throughout China has yet to be clarified. This series highlights the sufferings and hopes of pollution victims in this Asian superpower and explores how they may be helped, including through legal measures.

The soil and water in the impoverished farming village of Liangqiao, Guangdong Province, are reddish-brown. This is the color of the Laza River that was once the source of life for the villagers but which now has been transformed into a "river of death" carrying heavy metals and other pollutants from further upstream.

Liangqiao is just one of some 20 to 50 "cancer villages" throughout China that have been made to pay the price for the country's rapid economic growth. This series of articles is based on visits made in August 2007 -- a year prior to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing – to the areas of China most heavily affected by environmental pollution.

A nationwide case-control study of bladder cancer in adult New Zealanders was conducted to identify occupations that may contribute to the risk of bladder cancer in the New Zealand population. A total of 213 incident cases of bladder cancer (age 25-70 years) notified to the New Zealand Cancer Registry during 2003 and 2004, and 471 population controls, were interviewed face-to-face. The questionnaire collected demographic information and a full occupational history. An elevated bladder cancer risk was observed for hairdressers and sewing machinists. Significantly increased risks were not observed for several other occupations that have been reported in previous studies, including sales assistants, painters and paperhangers, sheet metal workers, printing trades workers and truck drivers. Nonsignificantly increased risks were observed for tailors and dressmakers , rubber and plastics products machine operators, building workers, and female market farmers and crop growers. In conclusion, this study has confirmed that hairdressers and sewing machinists are high risk occupations for bladder cancer in New Zealand, and has identified several other occupations and industries of high bladder cancer risk that merit further study.

The increasing incidence of a variety of cancers after the Second World War confronts scientists with the question of their origin. In Western countries, expansion and ageing of the population as well as progress in
cancer detection using new diagnostic and screening tests cannot fully account for the observed growing incidence of cancer. Our hypothesis is that environmental factors play a more important role in cancer genesis than it is usually agreed. (1) Over the last 2-3 decades, alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking in men have significantly decreased in Western Europe and North America. (2) Obesity is increasing in many countries, but the growing incidence of cancer also concerns cancers not related to obesity nor to other known lifestyle-related factors. (3) There is evidence that the environment has changed over the time period preceding the recent rise in cancer incidence, and that this change, still continuing, included the accumulation of many new carcinogenic factors in the environment. (4) Genetic susceptibility to cancer due to genetic polymorphism cannot have changed over one generation and actually favours the role of exogenous factors through gene-environment interactions. (5) Age is not the unique factor to be considered since the rising incidence of cancers is seen across all age categories, including children, and adolescents. (6) The fetus is specifically vulnerable to exogenous factors. A fetal exposure during a critical time window may explain why current epidemiological studies may still be negative in adults. We therefore propose that the involuntary exposure to many carcinogens in the environment, including microorganisms (viruses, bacteria and parasites), radiations (radioactivity, UV and pulsed electromagnetic fields) and many xenochemicals, may account for the recent growing incidence of cancer and therefore that the risk attributable to environmental carcinogens may be far higher than it is usually agreed.

Irigaray et al., Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2007, November 20 [epub ahead of print]

Industrial chemicals found in shower curtains, soda cans and sofas were detected in the blood and urine of 35 volunteers, according to a national report released Thursday by a coalition of environmental groups. The groups sponsored the study to demonstrate that Americans are absorbing hazardous chemicals from common household products. The coalition is advocating for government regulations to force manufacturers to stop using the chemicals. Among the volunteers, Clifton Park's Heather Loukmas, 36, had the highest blood level of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a flame retardant used in electronic equipment and furniture foam.

"We can assume that every American has some level of these chemicals in their body," Loukmas said during a news conference Thursday at the Capitol in Albany. Loukmas is executive director of the Learning Disabilities Association of New York State. Scientists involved with the study traced her exposure back to Michigan where Loukmas grew up. In 1973, the Michigan Chemical Co. accidentally shipped a chemical called Firemaster to cattle farmers instead of Nutrimaster. The product was mixed in with cattle feed and contaminated thousands of people who consumed the meat and milk before the mistake was discovered. Loukmas was 2 years old at the time, but the experts told her she probably passed it to her two children when she was pregnant.

The study, "Is It In Us?" tested volunteers for three classes of chemicals commonly found in consumer products. Here's a closer look at the chemicals. Phthalates: What they are: (THALL-ates) a group of industrial chemicals that add flexibility and resilience to plastic products; additive in fixatives, detergents and solvents. Found in: Shower curtains, garden hoses, table clothes, vinyl flooring, inflatable swimming pools, plastic clothing such as raincoats, children's toys, automobile upholstery, carpets, time release capsules, soap, shampoo, hair spray, nail polish, deodorants and fragrances. Health effects: Associated with lower sperm counts, the feminization of male genitalia in male fetuses, childhood asthma, reduced lung capacity. How can I reduce my exposure? Avoid PVC (vinyl) in home remodeling products, use a shower curtain made of natural fibers, polyester or nylon instead of vinyl; avoid plastics marked #3, and products that list "fragrance" as an ingredient; eat fresh food grown without pesticides. Bisphenol-A: What they are: Production chemicals used in epoxy resin and polycarbonate plastic products; also called BPA. Found in: some water bottles, baby bottles, food storage and heating containers, the lining of metal food cans, dental sealants and toys. Health effects: In animal studies, BPA has been known to simulate estrogen and is associated with cancer and diabetes. How can I reduce my exposure? Use glass, stainless steel or polyethylene bottles (PETE, PET or #1 or #2 plastics) instead of polycarbonate (PC or #7) bottles; avoid heating food in polycarbonate containers; cut back on canned foods; ask your dentist about the ingredients before getting dental sealants. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers: What they are: A class of flame-retardant chemicals added to many products. Found in: Furniture foam, textiles, kitchen appliances, electronics like TVs and computer monitors, and in the fat of some food animals. Health effects: Associate with birth defects, cancer; neonatal exposure affects learning and memory. How can I reduce my exposure? Wash hands frequently; dust with a damp cloth; look for companies that have pledged to create PBDE-free products; choose lean meats and cooking methods that remove excess fat.

Toxic chemicals from everyday products contaminate the bodies of every person in this country. Shower curtains, water bottles, baby bottles, toys, shampoo, cosmetics, couch cushions, computers, and hundreds of other common products that ordinary people use every day contain toxic chemical ingredients that leach out of the products and into our bodies. Thirty-five Americans from seven states participated in a national biomonitoringproject in the spring of 2007. This is the broadest non-governmental project of its kind to measure toxic chemicals in the bodies of average Americans. Each participant was tested for contamination by twenty toxic chemicals from three chemical families: phthalates (THA-lates), bisphenol A, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).

Body Burden Work Group and Commonweal Biomonitoring resource Center, November 9, 2007

Extracts Of Catfish Caught In Polluted Waters Cause Breast Cancer Cells To Multiply

Exposing estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cells to extracts of channel catfish caught in areas with heavy sewer and industrial waste causes the cells to multiply, according to a University of Pittsburgh study. The study, which tested extracts from channel catfish caught in the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers near Pittsburgh, suggests that the fish, caught in areas of dense sewer overflows, contain substances that mimic the actions of estrogen, the female hormone. Since fish are sentinels of water quality, as the canary in the coal mine is a sentinel of air pollution, and can concentrate fat soluble chemicals from their habitats within their bodies, these results suggest that pharmaceutical estrogens and xeno-estrogenic chemicals, those that mimic estrogens in the body, may be making their way into the region's waterways.

Eating fish caught from rivers polluted with "gender bender" chemicals could increase the risk of breast cancer, researchers said yesterday. Their study found that breast cancer cells multiply when exposed to fish contaminated with the synthetic female hormone oestrogen. It raises new fears about the link between pollution and cancer, and the effects of pouring treated sewage into rivers. Past studies have shown that the high levels of synthetic hormones used in toiletries and the contraceptive Pill can cause male fish to change sex and grow female sexual organs.

Being overweight is a risk factor for cancer Being overweight and obese causes 5% of all cancers in middle-aged and older women in the UK, research suggests. The Cancer Research UK-funded study, which looked at 45,000 cases of cancer in 1m women over seven years, says this translates to about 6,000 cases a year. It is published online by the British Medical Association and blames excess fat for 50% of cases of womb cancer and a type of oesophageal cancer. Last week an international study warned of the link between cancer and weight.

We've been fighting the war on cancer for almost four decades now, since President Richard M. Nixon officially launched it in 1971. It's time to admit that our efforts have often targeted the wrong enemies and used the wrong weapons. Throughout the industrial world, the war on cancer remains focused on commercially fueled efforts to develop drugs and technologies that can find and treat the disease -- to the tune of more than $100 billion a year in the United States alone. Meanwhile, the struggle basically ignores most of the things known to cause cancer, such as tobacco, radiation, sunlight, benzene, asbestos, solvents, and some drugs and hormones. Even now, modern cancer-causing agents such as gasoline exhaust, pesticides and other air pollutants are simply deemed the inevitable price of progress. They're not. Scientists understand that most cancer is not born but made.

No matter how much our efforts to treat cancer may advance, the best way to reduce cancer's toll is to keep people from getting it. We need to join the rest of the industrialized world by issuing a national ban on asbestos and forbidding smoking in the workplace and other public spaces. We must reduce the hazards faced by those working to build our homes, transport our goods and make the products we consume. We should restrict CT scans of children to medical emergencies, limit the use of diagnostic radiation in general, ban young children from using cellphones and keep the rest of us from using tanning beds. And we must recognize that pollutants do not need passports. Controlling cancer, like controlling global warming, can take place only on an international scale. We can -- and must -- do better.

Cancer and environmental chemicals (The policy below was adopted earlier this month by the California Medical Association)

Whereas, a large and growing body of peer-reviewed research increasingly indicates that some of the many industrial chemicals now in use and present in human bodies can contribute to the initiation and growth of various cancers, as recognized by many prominent scientists; and Whereas, various scientific organizations and cancer advocacy groups have adopted proactive policies urging better research and preventive strategies regarding chemicals and cancer; and Whereas, one prestigious national group, the Canadian Cancer Society, has adopted a formal policy stating " Wherever possible, exposure to substances that are known, or believed, to cause cancer should be identified and eliminated by substituting safer alternatives. When elimination is not possible, exposure should be reduced to the lowest possible levels" and "Current scientific evidence is the cornerstone of our information and positions about cancer. However, we believe it is important in some circumstances not to wait for perfect scientific clarity to take action to protect Canadians. As a result, we also strongly support the precautionary principle that states, ³when an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.; and Whereas, the American Cancer Society, analogous to the Canadian group quoted above, has yet to take such a position, even as the scientific evidence grows and has convinced other traditionally cautious organizations: now be it

RESOLVED: That the CMA recognizes the important and growing body of scientific evidence linking some common environmental chemicals to human cancers, and encourages educational and advocacy efforts; and be it further

Commission to postpone and amend electromagnetic fields legislation to protect MRI

The European Commission has proposed to postpone for four years - until 30 April 2012 - the deadline for introducing legislation on workers' exposure to electromagnetic fields, which could have affected the use of technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This will allow enough time to prepare a substantive amendment to the Directive in order to take account of recent research findings on the possible impact of the exposure limits on MRI.

Artificial Illumination Can Affect More Than Your Mental Health. As Daylight Saving Time Comes to an End, What Happens to Our Internal Clocks? Oh, the light! The autumn light! Is there anything more glorious than an October day, awash in the sun's low-slung amber rays? And yet . . . perhaps you feel the dread, too. The looming inkiness that, like the tide, crawls up your legs a little higher each day, turning that honeyed light to molasses and molasses to muck until you realize, too late, that the birds have left and the world has gone dark. Dark when you wake up, dark when you go home. In simpler times we slept more in winter, but modern living denies us that luxury. So increasingly each day, soft-white lights from yonder windows break -- along with halogens, tungstens and compact fluorescents. And when we can't stand it anymore, we resort to manipulation, declaring that 6 in the morning is now 5. You got a problem with that, take it up in the spring. Now science is finding that our manhandling of light and time is making us sick. Artificial illumination is fooling the body's biological clock into releasing key wakefulness hormones at the wrong times, contributing to seasonal fatigue and depression. And daylight saving time, extended by Congress this year for an extra four weeks, risks dragging even more Americans into a winter funk. Much more than mental health is at stake. Women who work at night, out of sync with the light, have recently been shown to have higher rates of breast cancer -- so much so that an arm of the World Health Organization will announce in December that it is classifying shift work as a "probable carcinogen." That will put the night shift in the same health-risk category as exposure to such toxic chemicals as trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

The classical view according to which overweight/obesity is related to cancer considers adipose tissue as an active and metabolic ‘‘organ’’, acting through endocrine, autocrine and paracrine processes. Consequently,
it has been hypothesised, that genesis and progression of cancer may be caused by different biological factors acting through diverse mechanisms including changes in the synthesis and bioavailability of sex hormones,
insulin resistance, release of growth factors and/or proinflammatory cytokines and abnormal energetic disposal and expenditure. We have shown that overweight/obesity can be experimentally induced by benzo[a]pyrene, a universal well characterized chemical pollutant and that overweight/obesity may in fact be caused by several types of chemical pollutants. In this paper we propose that in addition to the above hypothetical biological mechanisms, adipose tissue acts as a reservoir for lipophilic, liposoluble environmental carcinogens, so that chemical pollution may in fact generate both overweight/obesity and cancer. More precisely, we propose that many carcinogens, can be stored in the adipose tissue, be released at convenient dose in the blood circulation and therefore target peripheral tissues to induce carcinogenesis. Such carcinogens mainly include organochlorine pesticides and PCBs. Their association with an increased risk of cancer seems to be demonstrated for breast and prostate carcinoma, as well as for lymphoma, not only in obese patients, but also in normal weight or even leaner patients suggesting that the adipose tissue may act as a reservoir for environmental carcinogens in obese as well as in non-obese patients.

Irigaray et al., Dossier: Cancer: Influence of environment, Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, [Epub ahead of print, October 23, 3007]

The European parliament has backed strict new EU pesticide approval rules that would have radical market consequences for manufacturers. In a first-reading vote on legislative proposals MEPs expanded the range of
hazardous substances that would be banned in pesticides, beefed up substitution rules and cut authorisation periods. "Serious damage will be inflicted on Europe's food and farming industry if today's vote was to result in legislation," trade lobby group Ecpa said in response to the parliament's decision. MEPs have "failed to understand or simply chosen to ignore these consequences" and "put at risk the EU agri-food industry," it added. But rapporteur MEP Hiltrud Breyer, the hardline German Green who shepherded the proposals through the assembly, hailed the result as a "milestone in consumer and environmental protection" that would result in "major progress for ensuring less dangerous pesticides". MEPs had ignored the "scaremongering tactics of the chemical industry and agricultural lobbies," he said.

So-called "body burden" testing reveals industrial chemicals in humans Many of these chemicals harm rats, but studies on humans are preliminary One scientist warns modern-day humans are living an "unnatural experiment." Michelle Hammond and Jeremiah Holland were intrigued when a friend at the Oakland Tribune asked them and their two young children to take part in a cutting-edge study to measure the industrial chemicals in their bodies. "In the beginning, I wasn't worried at all; I was fascinated," Hammond, 37, recalled.
But that fascination soon changed to fear, as tests revealed that their children -- Rowan, then 18 months, and Mikaela, then 5 -- had chemical exposure levels up to seven times those of their parents. "[Rowan's] been on this planet for 18 months, and he's loaded with a chemical I've never heard of," Holland, 37, said. "He had two to three times the level of flame retardants in his body that's been known to cause thyroid dysfunction in lab rats."

ONLY one in every 100 of the 50,000 industrial, agricultural and veterinary chemicals available for use in Australia today has ever been tested for its potential danger to people's health and the environment. The other 99 per cent, introduced before 1990, have never had to pass the modern tests of any regulatory authority to assess what risks people are taking by continuing to use them, according to a network of high-powered state bureaucrats reporting to a council of all the nation's environment ministers.

A European law intended to protect workers from possible health risks caused by electromagnetic fields is to be delayed for four years. The European Commission's decision came because the move would have restricted the use of MRI scanners. The commission's physical agents directive was issued in 2004 to impose limits on occupational exposure to electromagnetic radiation, which can cause cancer and other health problems. The TUC believes the MRI issue could have been dealt with without shelving what was intended solely as a workplace health and safety measure.

PBDEs in U.S. infants mirror adult population. The largest study yet of PBDEs in infants confirms trends seen in adult populations.

The largest study yet of PBDEs in U.S. infants confirms that American babies' concentrations of the persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic compounds are at least twice as high as those of European infants. The data also reaffirm other trends observed in studies of adults.

Scientists from the University of Ulster have joined forces with leading US cancer experts to potentially unlock vital secrets about how the disease develops by "watching it when it is born". A transatlantic partnership with the Tufts University School of Medicine School in Boston could lead to a greater understanding of the triggers that affect cancer cells. The Boston scientists, led by Professor Carlos Sonnenschein and Ana Soto, have developed a 3D model of the mammary gland which allows them to study how cells can organise to form tissues and how cancer cells become normal again. This research is allied to the world-leading bio-imaging technology available at the Centre of Advanced Imaging at UU's Coleraine campus. Prof Soto, Professor of Anatomy and Cellular Biology at Tufts, is working alongside UU's Professor Vyvyan Howard, a professor of bio-imaging, Dr George McKerr who is director of the centre, and Dr Kurt Saetzler, a lecturer in computational biology.

The Stirling University study mentioned in the BBC programme blurb below will appear in the October-December 2007 issue of the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health (IJOEH), available free online www.ijoeh.com It concludes the contribution of workplace factors to all cancers is at least double and possibly four times the commonly cited Doll/Peto contribution (4 per cent of all cancers related to work). The BBC piece, a 40 minute documentary, concentrates on the UK, but most of the lessons apply equally well in other modern, industrialised nations – and certainly to the situation the US, Canada and Australia.

Occupational cancer is a quiet almost invisible epidemic picking off its victims years after they were first exposed to the risk. It is one of the areas of workplace safety that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for. Yet according to a new study published on Tuesday its occupational cancer figures are out of date. The HSE's figures say 6,000 people die annually of work related cancers. But the study by Prof Andrew Watterson of Stirling University has found that between 18,000 to 24,000 people a year die of occupationally caused cancers. "We know that the existing figures are wrong because of the basis of the calculation that was done some 25 years ago," he said. "They looked at small number of - at that time - large industries. There are many more small to medium sized enterprises now where there may be exposures."

The HSE accepts its figures are out of date but the academic charged with reviewing them, believes they will only show a small increase.

Research into the link between regular handset use and disease reveals the risks rise significantly after 10 years, despite official assurances that they are safe. Geoffrey Lean reports. Using a mobile phone for more than 10 years increases the risk of getting brain cancer, according to the most comprehensive study of the risks yet published. The study – which contradicts official pronouncements that there is no danger of getting the disease – found that people who have had the phones for a decade or more are twice as likely to get a malignant tumour on the side of the brain where they hold the handset.

A new study finds that U.K. citizens may be exposed to more BDE-209 via dust than North Americans.

Researchers have long suspected that dust is a major source of the much higher body burdens of PBDEs found in North Americans compared with people from the rest of the world. The results of a study published online September 25 in Environment International (DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2007.08.008) show that dust in the U.K. also can contain extremely high concentrations of one particular PBDE congener that has been the focus of fewer studies. The researchers conclude that their new data support the hypothesis that ingestion of household dust may account for the higher body burdens of most PBDEs—except BDE-209—that are observed in North Americans. The research shows that U.K. citizens' exposure to BDE-209 via dust "exceeds substantially that in North America, especially when the highly elevated concentrations in some U.K. homes are considered."

A major review of the risks of radiation links nuclear pollution with increased rates of breast cancer and child leukaemia. This new assessment appears at a time when environmental groups are urging a reform of Euratom, the European nuclear energy treaty. The present cancer epidemic is a result of pollution from nuclear energy and of exposures to global atmospheric weapons fallout, which peaked in the period 1959-63, according to a report from the European Committee of Radiation Risk (ECRR) published in January 2003. It estimates that radioactive releases up to 1989 have caused, or will eventually cause, the death of 65 million people world-wide.

Pollution killing up to 25 000 Canadians annually, says first environmental burden of disease study in Canada.

Canadians are awash in toxic chemicals -- and it is costing our health care system up to $9.1 billion and 1.5 million hospital days annually, according to a new study led by University of British Columbia Trudeau Scholar David Boyd. The research is the first to measure the magnitude of adverse health effects caused by exposure to environmental hazards such as air pollution, pesticides, dioxins, heavy metals, flame retardants and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) for Canada.
To read more visit: visit: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2007.08.009

This report synthesizes the recent peer-reviewed scientific literature related to environmental and occupational exposures and cancer and finds compelling new evidence linking cancer with specific exposures, namely:

Breast cancer from exposure to the pesticide DDT before puberty;
Leukemia from exposure to 1,3-butadiene;
Lung cancer from exposure to air pollution;
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma from exposure to pesticides and solvents;
Prostate cancer from exposure to pesticides and metal working fluids;
Brain cancer from exposure to non-ionizing radiation; and
A range of cancers from exposure to pesticides based on early findings from the Agricultural Health Study.
The report also summarizes the multi-factorial, multi-stage nature of cancer causation and underscores the need to develop a new cancer prevention paradigm in the U.S., one that is based on an understanding that cancer is caused by multiple interacting factors and not single agents. This report builds upon our 2005 review of 30 years of scientific evidence documenting associations between carcinogens in workplaces, schools, and homes and certain cancers. Both reports were commissioned by CHE and this second report was supported by funding from the Jenifer Altman Foundation.

A new study in the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, www.joem.org, reports that radiation from broadcast towers increases estrogen levels in post-menopausal women.

The estrogen levels increase as the amounts of broadcast radiation increase. These levels are all within compliance of existing federal regulations (Federal Communications Commission).

Results: Among premenopausal women, there were no associations between RF or 60-Hz non-ionizing radiation and E1G or 6-OHMS excretion. Among postmenopausal women, increased residential RF exposures, transmitter proximity and visibility, and temporally stable 60-Hz exposures were significantly associated with increased E1G excretion. This association was strongest among postmenopausal women with low overnight 6-OHMS levels. Conclusions: RF and temporally stable 60-Hz exposures were associated with increased E1G excretion among postmenopausal women. Women with reduced nocturnal 6-OHMS excretion may represent a sensitive subgroup.

Clark et al., Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. 49(10):1149-1156, October 2007.

The environmental burden of disease in Canada: Respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and congenital affliction.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to environmental hazards contributes to many chronic diseases, yet the magnitude of their contribution to the total disease burden in Canada is not well understood. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the environmental burden of disease (EBD) in Canada for respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and congenital affliction. Quantifying the contribution of environmental exposures to the overall burden of disease could play an important role in shaping public health and environmental policy priorities. RESULTS: Our results indicate that: 10,000-25,000 deaths; 78,000-194,000 hospitalizations; 600,000-1.5 million days spent in hospital; 1.1 million-1.8 million restricted activity days for asthma sufferers; 8000-24,000 new cases of cancer; 500-2500 low birth weight babies; and between $3.6 billion and $9.1 billion in costs occur in Canada each year due to respiratory disease, cardiovascular illness, cancer, and congenital affliction associated with adverse environmental exposures. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of illness in Canada
resulting from adverse environmental exposures is significant. Stronger efforts to prevent adverse environmental exposures are warranted, including research, education, and regulation.

Boyd DR, Genuis SJ. The environmental burden of disease in Canada: Respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and congenital affliction. Environ Res. 2007 Sep 27; [Epub ahead of print]

A toxic substance similar to the pollutant polychlorinated biphenyl, or PCB, has been found in the breast milk of Japanese women, according to a group of Japan-based scientists. On Tuesday, the group announced at a session of the ongoing international conference Dioxin 2007 in Tokyo its discovery of polychlorinated/brominated coplanar biphenyls, or Co-PXBs, in mothers' milk. The contaminants are thought linked to the eating of fish. The group is urging authorities to add Co-PXBs to a list of toxic substances being monitored under a law aimed at controlling dioxin. The toxicity level of Co-PXBs is apparently similar to that of PCBs. The group warned that the adverse effects of Co-PXBs on babies have possibly been underestimated

There is limited evidence on the hypothesis that maternal occupational exposure near conception increases the risk of cancer in offspring. This study is to investigate whether women employed in an electronics factory increases childhood cancer among first live born singletons. Based on 11 exposed cases, the rate ratio of all malignant neoplasms was increased to 2.26 among children whose mothers worked in this factory during periconceptional periods. The RRs were associated with 6 years or less and 7-9 years of education compared with 10 years or more. An increased association was also found between childhood leukemia and exposed pregnancies. Our study suggests that maternal occupation with potential exposure to organic solvents during periconception might increase risks of childhood cancers, especially for leukemia.

Exposure in childhood is key, quintupling the risk among women with high levels of the pesticide, researchers say. Women heavily exposed to the pesticide DDT during childhood are five times as likely to develop breast cancer, a new scientific study suggests. For decades, scientists have tried to determine whether there is a connection between breast cancer and DDT, the most widely used insecticide in history. The UC Berkeley research, based on a small number of Bay Area women, tested a theory that the person's age during exposure was critical, and provided the first evidence of a substantial effect on breast cancer.” There was very broad exposure to this pesticide, and with this study, we have evidence that women exposed when young were the most affected," said Barbara A. Cohn, director of UC Berkeley's Child Health and Development Studies, who led the study of 129 women. "If this finding holds up, those who were young and more highly exposed could be the women at greatest risk." Women born between 1945 and 1965 were most likely to have been heavily exposed as children to DDT, which was sprayed throughout the United States to kill mosquitoes and other insects. DDT use began in 1945, peaked in 1959 and was banned nationwide in 1972 because it was building up in the environment.

Los Angeles Times, September 30, 2007

Paternal occupational exposure to electro-magnetic fields as a risk factor for cancer in children and young adults: a case-control study from the North of England
Numerous studies have implied that paternal occupational exposures, in particular electromagnetic fields (EMF) and ionizing radiation, may be involved in the etiology of childhood cancers. We investigated whether an association exists between paternal occupations at birth involving such exposures and cancer risk in offspring, using data from the Northern Region Young Persons' Malignant Disease Registry (NRYPMDR).This large case-control study identified a significantly > increased risk of leukemia among the offspring of men likely to have been occupationally exposed to EMF, with differing associations

between males and females. Increased risks of chondrosarcoma and renal carcinoma were also seen, although based on smaller numbers. Further > detailed investigations in this area are required to understand this association.

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2007 Sep;49(3):280-6

‘Health disaster’ in French Caribbean linked to pesticides
The indiscriminate use of toxic pesticides on banana plantations in the French Caribbean has left much of the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe

poisoned for a century to come, a report to the French parliament warned yesterday. The two islands and their 800,000 inhabitants faced a "health disaster",

with soaring rates of cancer and infertility, said Professor Dominique Belpomme, a French cancer specialist. Based on present trends, half the men of Martinique and Guadeloupe were likely to develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives, Professor Belpomme said. Birth defects in children were also becoming far more common, he warned. Tests have shown that every child born in Guadeloupe is contaminated with chlordecone, a highly toxic pesticide also known as kepone, which was banned in Many countries in 1979. It was used legally in France until 1990 and in the French Caribbean until 1993. But it was used illegally – often sprayed by aeroplanes – to kill weevils in Martinique and Guadeloupe until 2002.Professor Belpomme said: "The situation is extremely serious. The tests we carried out on pesticides show there is a health disaster in the Caribbean. The word is not too strong. Martinique and Guadeloupe have literally been poisoned.

The Independent, 19 September 2007

Top

Twice as many girls as boys are being born in some Arctic villages because of high levels of man-made chemicals in the blood of pregnant women, according to scientists from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (Amap). The scientists, who say the findings could explain the recent excess of girl babies across much of the northern hemisphere, are widening their investigation across the most acutely affected communities in Russia, Greenland and Canada to try to discover the size of the imbalance in Inuit communities of the far north. The scientists measured the man-made chemicals in women's blood that mimic human hormones and concluded that they were capable of triggering changes in the sex of unborn children in the first three weeks of gestation. The chemicals are carried in the mother's bloodstream through the placenta to the foetus, switching hormones to create girl children.

Lars-Otto Reierson, executive secretary for Amap, said: "We knew that the levels of man-made chemicals were accumulating in the food chain, and that seals, whales and particularly polar bears were getting a dose a million times higher than that existing in plankton, and that this could be toxic to humans who ate these higher animals. What was shocking was that they were also able to change the sex of children before birth." Scientists believe a number of man-made chemicals used in electrical equipment from generators, televisions and computers that mimic human hormones are implicated. They are carried by winds and rivers to the Arctic where they accumulate in the food chain and in the bloodstreams of the largely meat- and fish-eating Inuit communities. Dr Reierson said the accumulation of DDT, PCBs, flame-retardants and other endocrine disrupters has been known for some time and young women had been advised to avoid eating some Arctic animals to avoid excess contamination and possible damage to their unborn children.

Guardian, September 12, 2007

EU watchdog calls for urgent action on Wi-Fi radiation

Europe's top environmental watchdog is calling for immediate action to reduce exposure to radiation from Wi-Fi, mobile phones and their masts. It suggests that delay could lead to a health crisis similar to those caused by asbestos, smoking and lead in petrol.

The warning, from the EU's European Environment Agency (EEA) follows an international scientific review which concluded that safety limits set for the radiation are "thousands of times too lenient", and an official British report last week which concluded that it could not rule out the development of cancers from using mobile phones. Professor Jacqueline McGlade, the EEA's executive director, said yesterday: "Recent research and reviews on the long-term effects of radiations from mobile telecommunications suggest that it would be prudent for health authorities to recommend actions to reduce exposures, especially to vulnerable groups, such as children." The EEA's initiative will increase pressure on governments and public health bodies to take precautionary action over the electromagnetic radiation from rapidly expanding new technologies. The German government is already advising its citizens to use wired internet connections instead of Wi-Fi and landlines instead of mobile phones.

The scientific review, produced by the international BioInitiative Working Group of leading scientists and public health and policy experts, says the "explosion of new sources has created unprecedented levels of artificial electromagnetic fields that now cover all but remote areas of the habitable space on Earth", causing "long-term and cumulative exposure" to "massively increased" radiation that "has no precedent in human history". It says "corrections are needed in the way we accept, test and deploy" the technologies "in order to avert public health problems of a global nature".

The Independent, 16 September 2007

Top

Germany warns citizens to avoid using Wi-Fi Environment Ministry's verdict on the health risks from wireless technology

People should avoid using Wi-Fi wherever possible because of the risks it may pose to health, the German government has said. Its surprise ruling – the most damning made by any government on the fast-growing technology – will shake the industry and British ministers, and vindicates the questions that The Independent on Sunday has been raising over the past four months. And Germany's official radiation protection body also advises its citizens to use landlines instead of mobile phones, and warns of "electrosmog" from a wide range of other everyday products, from baby monitors to electric blankets. The German government's ruling – which contrasts sharply with the unquestioning promotion of the technology by British officials – was made in response to a series of questions by Green members of the Bundestag, Germany's parliament. The Environment Ministry recommended that people should keep their exposure to radiation from Wi-Fi "as low as possible" by choosing "conventional wired connections". It added that it is "actively informing people about possibilities for reducing personal exposure”. Its actions will provide vital support for Sir William Stewart, Britain's official health protection watchdog, who has produced two reports calling for caution in using mobile phones and who has also called for a review of the use of Wi-Fi in schools. His warnings have so far been ignored by ministers and even played down by the Health Protection Agency, which he chairs. By contrast the agency's German equivalent – the Federal Office for Radiation Protection – is leading the calls for caution. Florian Emrich, for the office, says Wi-Fi should be avoided "because people receive exposures from many sources and because it is a new technology and all the research into its health effects has not yet been carried out".

The Independent, 09 September 2007

The discussion of the scientific evidence linking cancer to environmental and occupational exposures has been an area of contention for at least the past three decades, since the assertion in 1977 by Higginson and Muir that 80% of all cancers were due to environmental exposures. Over the past three decades, there have been additional efforts to estimate the proportion of cancer due to these involuntary exposures, including the 1981 monograph by Doll and Peto and the more recent reports by the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention. In this paper, we review the evidence that Doll and Peto and other authors have summarized, provide an alternative interpretation of the evidence, and caution against the very idea of attributing specific fractions or proportions of cancer to particular factors. We also review the scientific evidence, particularly epidemiologic evidence, regarding the contribution of environmental and occupational exposures to the overall cancer burden in the US. We conclude with a call for action to prevent exposures to environmental and occupational carcinogens.

Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, 6 September 2007

Scientists have discovered a potential link between deodorants and breast cancer. High levels of aluminium, which makes up 90 per cent of the anti-perspirant part of most products, were found in the breast tissue of cancer patients who had undergone mastectomies. The element has been linked to the disease by earlier studies. Scientists have previously warned that aluminium could be absorbed through the skin, particularly after the armpits are shaved. Once in the body, it may mimic the hormone oestrogen, which is known to be involved in the development and progression of breast cancer. Researchers found "significantly higher" levels of aluminium in the underarm region of the breast than other areas in 17 patients.

The Telegraph, 4 September 2007

Thirty-eight of the world's leading scientific experts on bisphenol A have warned policymakers of potential adverse health effects of exposure to the widespread plastic. The consensus statement, published in August 2007, emerged from a workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, held in Chapel Hill, NC, in November 2006.They conclude that average levels in people are above those that cause harm to animals in laboratory experiments. And they calculate that average serum levels in people can only be explained by assuming that exposures today are above the level that EPA considers safe (the reference dose).

Environmental Health News, August 2007.

Just five minutes of exposure to mobile phone emissions can trigger changes that occur during cancer development, according to new research. Scientists found mobile signals can activate cell division – central to the growth of tumours - even at very low power levels.

Government guidance that mobile phone use is safe is based on the mainstream scientific assumption that electromagnetic radiation from devices such as mobiles could only cause health hazards as a result of heating. The new research, highlighted in this week’s New Scientist, supports the position of some researchers who argue handsets can trigger potentially harmful changes to cells irrespective of temperature changes.

The Telegraph, 31 August 2007

The World Health Organization (WHO) is today releasing the first ever report highlighting children's special susceptibility to harmful chemical exposures at different periods of their growth. This new volume of the Environmental Health Criteria series, Principles for Evaluating Health Risks in Children Associated with Exposure to Chemicals, is the most comprehensive work yet undertaken on the scientific principles to be considered in assessing health risks in children. It highlights the fact that in children, the stage in their development when exposure occurs may be just as important as the magnitude of the exposure.

WHO, 27 July 2007

Lowenthal et al reported that children raised for the first five years in home environments exposed to EMF within 300 meters of a high voltage power line have a five-fold (a 500 percent increased risk of developing some kinds of cancers sometime in later life. For children from newborn to 15 years of age; it is a three-fold risk of developing cancer later in life.

Internal Medicine Journal, 2007 June 2

Top

Workers face a potential health threat from office laser printers that emit large amounts of tiny particles into the air, an Australian research team has found. Potential effects range from respiratory irritation to effects on the cardiovascular system and cancer, said Prof. Lidia Morawska of the Queensland University of Technology. The researchers do not know the chemical makeup of the particles and how they are released. But they recommend good office ventilation to minimize the chances of particles entering the airways.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation, July 31 2007

Substances that accumulate to hazardous levels in living organisms pose environmental and
human-health risks, which governments seek to reduce or eliminate. Regulatory authorities identify bioaccumulative substances as hydrophobic, fat-soluble chemicals having high octanol-water partition coefficients (KOW) (≥100,000). Here we show that poorly metabolizable, moderately hydrophobic substances with a KOW between 100 and 100,000, which do not biomagnify (that is, increase in chemical concentration in organisms with increasing trophic level) in aquatic food webs, can biomagnify to a high degree in food webs containing air-breathing animals (including humans) because of their high octanol-air partition coefficient (KOA) and corresponding low rate of respiratory elimination to air.These low KOW–high KOA chemicals, representing a third of organic chemicals in commercial use, constitute an unidentified class of potentially bioaccumulative substances that require regulatory assessment to prevent possible ecosystem and human-health consequences.

Science, Vol 317, 13 July 2007

Leukaemia rates in children and young people are elevated near nuclear facilities, but no clear explanation exists to explain the rise, according to a research review published in the European Journal of Cancer Care. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina carried out a sophisticated meta-analysis of 17 research papers covering 136 nuclear sites in the UK, Canada, France, the USA, Germany, Japan and Spain. They found that death rates for children up to the age of nine were elevated by between five and 24 per cent, depending on their proximity to nuclear facilities, and by two to 18 per cent in children and young people up to the age of 25.Incidence rates were increased by 14 to 21 per cent in zero to nine year olds and seven to ten percent in zero to 25 year-olds.

European Journal of Cancer Care, July 18, 2007

The EU has published the first criteria for awarding its flower ecolabel to soaps, shampoos and hair conditioners. The criteria appeared in the bloc's official journal on Wednesday following approval by a member state committee in December. A European commission official told ENDS on Thursday that the new label is expected to be one of the most successful of all product groups, in terms of take-up by producers. As many as 20 companies are already waiting to apply, the official said. To win the label manufacturers will have to meet a range of requirements on the toxicity of their products, especially to aquatic organisms. They will have to increase the biodegrability of active ingredients and cut packaging use. The criteria set a maximum limit for "critical dilution volume toxicity" (CDV) of products. Green group EEB has complained that these limits are weaker than CDV limits in criteria for all-purpose cleaners and toilet cleaners adopted in 2005. Large soap manufacturers opposed stricter criteria, EEB claims. Ecolabelled products must be free of four classes of environmentally hazardous ingredient: alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs); nitrilo triacetate (NTA); boric acid, borates and perborates; and nitromusks and polycyclic musks. The persistent chemical EDTA and its salts should only be used for solid soaps and content should not exceed 0.6 milligrams per gram of active content. Packaging content must not exceed 0.3 grams per gram of product. There are also criteria for aerobic and anaerobic biodegradability, fragrance, dyes and biocides use.

ENDS Europe, 19 July 2007

The theory that increasing cancer incidence rates in developed countries are primarily the consequence of an expanding ageing population and improved diagnostic testing is widely held. In the United Kingdom the proportion of people aged 50 and over has increased by 45% since 1951 and this proportion is set to increase by a further 36% by the year 2031, so the United Kingdom does indeed have an expanding ageing population. However, the increase in cancer incidence affects people across the whole age spectrum. To test the hypothesis that the age of onset of cancer (overall and specific) in England and Wales is decreasing over time we have developed The Cancer Incidence Temporality Index (CITI), which gives a crude measurement of the portion of the population, in which cancer incidence is rising fastest over time: I = (∑Oa/∑Ea)/((∑Oa/∑Ea)), where I is the CITI value, O is the observed number of cases and E is the expected number of cases; ‘a’ and ‘b’ refer to separate summation ranges for younger and older age groups. Population data and cancer incidence data in England and Wales, 1971–1999 were obtained from the UK Office for National Statistics. The trends in CITI values have been shown graphically for cancer overall and for specific tumour sites. The impact of diagnostic testing is also addressed. The results of this study suggest that the average age of onset of prostate, breast and cervical cancer is temporally decreasing. The study also suggests that for cancer overall the trend for the age of onset of cancer in males has stabilised since 1990 and has started to reverse in females from 1995 despite the expanding ageing population. A similar trend is observed for leukaemias. The CITI analysis for colon cancer shows that the age of onset in both males and females is increasing over time. The trend for ovarian cancer is similar to that for colon cancer. The CITI analysis for NHL in males is similar to that for colon cancer, however, in females the trend stabilised after 1990. The CITI may aid prediction of changes in the age of onset of cancer and thus aid targeted aetiological research. In addition, we suggest the need for a mathematical model, which may measure the changes in the age of onset of cancer in units of time.

Quarter 2 News (April-June 2007)

As temperature influences the toxic effects of chemicals, so does chemical exposure influence the temperature tolerance of an organism. The consequences of this harmful reciprocal relationship on four freshwater fish are explored in a new study published in the latest issue of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. The authors evaluated the effects of three organic chemicals commonly found in the environment: endosulfan, chloripyrifos and phenol. The first two are used as agricultural pesticides, and phenol is a common industrial chemical and a component in plant extracts. Four fish species, dwelling in different habitats in Australia, were selected for the tests. As demonstrated in previous studies, exposure to sublethal concentrations of certain chemicals can cause stresses that limit an organism’s ability to survive or tolerate changes in environmental factors such as temperature. As expected, with the exception of phenol, the current study confirms that prior exposure to sublethal concentrations of the chemicals affects the ability of fish to tolerate progressive temperature increases. According to the authors, the relationship between temperature and lethality is complex. The study suggests that rising global temperatures and the presence of environmental contaminants may influence the survival of many organisms but additional research is needed to understand the magnitude of the effect.

Science Daily, June 28 2007

Unhealthy diet, little exercise, and genetic makeup contribute to obesity. Now, new researchhighlights another potential factor: phthalates, the suspected endocrine disrupters that are used to soften plastics. Exposure to phthalates is associated with a dip in testosterone levels and other male reproductive problems in both rodents and humans. In the 1990s, researchers made a connection between low testosterone levels and obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes. To test whether phthalates might also be contributing to obesity and insulin resistance, a team led by Richard Stahlhut of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry examined data from the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (known as NHANES).The researchers looked at several urinary metabolites of phthalates to set exposure levels for U.S. men. They then modeled the men's behavior and other factors—from economic status to tobacco exposure—against six main phthalate metabolites, waist circumference, and insulin resistance measures. Overall, four of the metabolites were associated with an increase of 3.9–7.8 centimeters (cm) above the average waist circumference of 97.0 cm. However, waistlines did not grow linearly with increasing exposure. The data also linked three metabolites to insulin resistance.

Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol 115, No.6, June 2007

When it comes to many illnesses, boys are the weaker sex by far. The incidence of asthma, autism, childhood cancer, learning disabilities and behavioural disorders, among others, is higher in boys, sometimes startlingly so. Autism, for instance, almost seems like a male preserve, with boys outnumbering girls four to one.

Toronto Globe and Mail, June 16th 2007

Laboratory research has shown that numerous environmental pollutants cause
mammary gland tumors in animals; are hormonally active, specifically mimicking
estrogen, which is a breast cancer risk factor; or affect susceptibility of the
mammary gland to carcinogenesis. An assessment of epidemiologic research on
these pollutants identified in toxicologic studies can guide future research and
exposure reduction aimed at prevention. The PubMed database was searched
for relevant literature and systematic critical reviews were entered in a database
available at URL: www.silentspring.org/sciencereview and URL: www.
komen.org/environment (accessed April 10, 2007). Based on a relatively small
number of studies, the evidence to date generally supports an association
between breast cancer and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) in conjunction with certain genetic polymorphisms
involved in carcinogen activation and steroid hormone metabolism.
Evidence regarding dioxins and organic solvents is sparse and methodologically
limited but suggestive of an association. Methodologic problems include inadequate
exposure assessment, a lack of access to highly exposed and unexposed
populations, and a lack of preclinical markers to identify associations that may
be obscured by disease latency. Among chemicals identified in toxicologic
research as relevant to breast cancer, many have not been investigated in
humans. The development of better exposure assessment methods is needed to
fill this gap. In the interim, weaknesses in the epidemiologic literature argue
for greater reliance on toxicologic studies to develop national policies to reduce
chemical exposures that may be associated with breast cancer. Substantial
research progress in the last 5 years suggests that the investigation of environmental
pollutants will lead to strategies to reduce breast cancer risk.

Cancer 2007;109(12 Suppl):2667–711.

Objectives: Brain tumors are often disabling and rapidly lethal; their etiology is largely unknown. Among potential risk factors, pesticides are suspected. We examined the relationship between exposure to pesticides and brain tumors in adults in a population-based case-control study in southwestern France. Methods: Between May 1999 and April 2001, 221 incident cases of brain tumors and 442 individually matched controls selected from the general population were enrolled. Histories of occupational and environmental exposures, medical and lifestyle information were collected. A cumulative index of occupational exposure to pesticides was created, based on expert review of life-long jobs and tasks. Separate analyses were performed for gliomas and meningiomas. Results: A non statistically significant increase in risk was found for brain tumors when considering all types of occupational exposure to pesticides (OR=1.29, 95% Confidence Interval=0.87-1.91) and slightly higher but still non statistically significant when considering gliomas separately (OR=1.47, 95%CI=0.81-2.66). In the highest quartile of the cumulative index, a significant association was observed for brain tumors (OR=2.16, 95%CI=1.10-4.23), and for gliomas (OR=3.21, 95%CI=1.13-9.11), but not for meningiomas. Concerning environmental exposure to pesticides, a significant increase in risk was also observed with treatment of home plants (OR=2.24, 95%CI=1.16-4.30). Conclusions: These data suggest that a high level of occupational exposure to pesticides might be associated with an excess in risk of brain tumors, and especially of gliomas.

Occup Environ Med.2007

Top

The prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes has increased considerably in the past few decades. Many plausible contributing factors have been identified for this increase, among them low testosterone levels in men. Research has found that exposure to certain synthetic chemicals adversely affects testicular function in animals and possibly in humans. A new analysis looked for—and found—that exposure to one class of these chemicals, phthalates, correlated with two metabolic abnormalities in men: abdominal obesity and insulin resistance.

Environmental Health Perspectives, EHP 115:876–882; Stahlhut et al.

An international group of scientists sounded a warning Thursday that exposure to even extremely low doses of some chemicals while a fetus is developing can cause major changes in its future growth, health and ability to reproduce. The warning, dubbed the Faroes Statement, came from 200 chemists, biologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists and pediatricians at a conference in the Faroe Islands, between Norway and Iceland. It was funded in part by the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health and the European Environment Agency. While numerous recent research conferences have focused on the topic, this is the first time a group of respected scientists have publicly called for a full-court press to research the extent of the problem and to focus on prevention. The amount of a chemical that can affect an adult may be “orders of magnitude” different from what can seriously interfere with the development of a baby, said Philippe Grandjean, a professor of environmental health at Harvard University’s School of Public Health and a conference co-chairman. “Both prostate cancer and breast cancer can be generated by exposure to very low concentrations of some chemicals early in life,” he said.

USA Today, May 24 2007

Thanks to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments we are witnessing improved survival rates for some cancers (report, 16 May). However the incidence of many cancers has been steadily rising over many decades. According to the Office for National Statistics, between 1971 and 2003 age-adjusted cancer incidence has gone up in England and Wales for a number of cancers: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (up 206 per cent in men and 220 per cent in women); prostate up 212 per cent (prostate now exceeds lung cancer in men); breast up 80 per cent on an already very high base; testes up 115 per cent. The real success story in reducing cancer incidence in men has been the fall in the rate of lung cancer in men due to cessation of smoking - incidence has declined by 45 per cent from a very high base. This clearly shows that prevention programmes work. There is increasing scientific evidence that man-made chemicals are linked to cancer, particularly the hormone-related cancers and cancers of the immune system. We need to take the success of smoking prevention programmes and work on reducing human exposure to harmful chemicals.

May 24 2007, http://comment.independent.co.uk/letters/article2578452.ece

More than 200 chemicals — many found in urban air and everyday consumer products — cause breast cancer in animal tests, according to a compilation of scientific reports published today. Writing in a publication of the American Cancer Society, researchers concluded that reducing exposure to the compounds could prevent many women from developing the disease. The research team from five institutions analyzed a growing body of evidence linking environmental contaminants to breast cancer, the leading killer of U.S. women in their late 30s to early 50s.Experts say that family history and genes are responsible for a small percentage of breast cancer cases but that environmental or lifestyle factors such as diet are probably involved in the vast majority.” Overall, exposure to mammary gland carcinogens is widespread," the researchers wrote in a special supplement to the journal Cancer. "These compounds are widely detected in human tissues and in environments, such as homes, where women spend time.” The scientists said data were too incomplete to estimate how many breast cancer cases might be linked to chemical exposures. But because the disease is so common and the chemicals so widespread, "the public health impacts of reducing exposures would be profound even if the true relative risks are modest," they wrote. "If even a small percentage is due to preventable environmental factors, modifying these factors would spare thousands of women."

Los Angeles Times, May 14 2007

America is using "children as our test rodents" for thousands of new chemicals that have never been tested for toxicity to human life in the womb, said Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, director of the Center for Children's Health and the Environment at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. At a daylong conference April 30 at the headquarters of the U.S.

Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, Landrigan and other experts highlighted the scientific, ethical and moral links between effective clean environment policies and the life and health of the nation's children.

Catholic News Service, May 1st 2007

Perfluoroalkyl acids (such as PFOS and PFOA) and related chemicals are widely used in everyday products to repel stains, oil, and water. Their persistence and ubiquitousness in the environment have raised grave concerns about the implications for human health. Perfluoroalkyl acids including perfluorooctanyl sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have been found in animals and humans around the world. Animal studies have revealed that high doses of PFOS and PFOA cause cancer, physical development delays, endocrine disruption, neonatal mortality, and immunotoxicity. In humans, higher levels of these compounds are linked with decreased birth weight, reduced head circumference, and longer gestational periods. PFOA and PFOS are being replaced with other members of the perfluoroalkyl acid family as well as the related fluorotelomer alchols are being introduced as less toxic replacements, but these chemicals can turn into PFOA or PFOS as the result of metabolism or environmental biodegradation. Research into the health effects of these chemicals in both animals and humans are gathering momentum.

Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 115, Number 5, May 2007

The government should move to ban bisphenol A, a highly toxic chemical used in food and beverage containers, said Francis Scarpaleggia, Member of Parliament for Lac-Saint-Louis and chair of the Quebec Liberal Caucus. Based on the overwhelming scientific evidence that suggests bisphenol A is harmful to humans even in very low doses, Scarpaleggia—who is also a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development—today introduced a private member’s bill to the House of Commons that calls on the government to regulate a ban of this toxic substance. Derived from petroleum, bisphenol A is a key ingredient in polycarbonate, the translucent hard plastic used in water bottles and many baby bottles, including “sippy cups.” It is also used to make the resins that line most food cans, dental sealants, microwaveable plastics, sports helmets, and CDs. Although scientists have known for years that bisphenol A leeches from these containers into food and beverages, the substance remains widely used throughout North America and Europe. According to Scarpaleggia, “Bisphenol A acts in humans like the hormone estrogen. Numerous studies have linked it to lowered sperm counts, increased risk of infertility, breast and prostate cancer, neurological disorders, and obesity. Bisphenol A is so toxic it is one of 200 substances recently identified by Environment Canada as potentially dangerous to humans and most in need of further study.” “Over 90 per cent of the more than 150 independent and government-funded studies published in leading medical journals over the past decade say that bisphenol A is damaging to humans even at very low doses. Yet not a single one of the dozen major studies funded by the chemical industry has come up with that result,” said Scarpaleggia. Bisphenol A is one of the highest-volume manufactured chemicals in the world. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency does not monitor canned good or bottled water to see how much bisphenol A is leeching, and Health Canada has only prescribed a provisional exposure standard, which it set in 1999, just as research was beginning to explore the damage bisphenol A causes to humans. “There’s a mountain of data that suggests any exposure to bisphenol A is damaging to human health. The risks of using this toxic chemical far outweigh the benefits, and the government should act to regulate a ban of bisphenol A now.” For further information, contact Jeff Guignard, Executive Assistant to Francis Scarpaleggia, at (613) 995-8281.

Ottawa, April 27, 2007

Top

A global “zero cancer” campaign aimed at tackling the number one workplace killer was launched today, one day prior to April 28 Workers’ International Memorial Day. Speaking at a World Health Organisation seminar on the prevention of occupational and environment cancer in Geneva, Anita Normark, General Secretary of the Building Workers’ International launched the global “zero cancer” campaign and called on workplace regulators and employers to do more to end the worldwide epidemic of occupational cancer, which claims at least one life every 52 seconds.” Bad, and often illegal, working conditions cause ill health that mean disaster for hundreds of thousands of families every year,” said Normark. “The social invisibility of the impact of working conditions on our health creates a vicious circle where diseases are not recognised as occupational, so they are not recorded, notified, treated or compensated and, worst of all, they are not prevented,” said Normark. A coalition of 11 global unions together representing over 300 million members in more than 150 countries has produced a new cancer prevention guide, which reveals that over 600,000 deaths a year – one death every 52 seconds – are caused by occupational cancer, making up almost one-third of all work-related deaths. Occupational Cancer/Zero Cancer: a union guide to prevention, available at www.imfmetal.org/cancer , provides information about workplace cancer risks and advice on practical steps workers and unions can take to make workplaces safer.

International Metalworkers’ Federation, 27 April 2007

Tests of river fish indicate their flesh carries enough estrogen-mimicking chemicals to cause breast cancer cells to grow. Many streams, rivers and lakes already bear warning signs that the fish caught within them may contain dangerously high levels of mercury, which can cause brain damage. But, according to a new study, these fish may also be carrying enough chemicals that mimic the female hormone estrogen to cause breast cancer cells to grow. “Fish are really a sentinel, just like canaries in the coal mine 100 years ago,” says Conrad Volz, co-director of exposure assessment at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. “We need to pay attention to chemicals that are estrogenic in nature, because they find their way back into the water we all use.” Volz and colleagues, including biochemist Patricia Eagon, took samples from 21 catfish and six white bass donated by local anglers as part of a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Los Angeles this week. The fish were caught in five places: a relatively unpolluted site 36 miles upstream from Pittsburgh on the Allegheny River; an industrial site on the Monongahela River; an Allegheny site downstream from several industries that release toxic chemicals; and the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, where Pittsburgh dumps much of its treated sewage and sewer outflows. “This is the largest concentration of combined sewer outflows in the U.S.,” Volz notes, about the confluence, known as the Point. The researchers also bought several fish at the store as controls.

Scientific American, April 17, 2007

Exposure to everyday environmental pollution could be a factor in the rising rates of breast cancer, new research suggests. A study carried out at Aberdeen University found evidence that subjecting female sheep to a "real-life" cocktail of chemicals triggered abnormalities in the mammary glands, including in some types of proteins associated with breast cancer in humans. The researchers, who admit they were surprised by the effects shown, say that further work should now be carried out to see whether environmental pollution could be a factor in the steady increase in rates of breast cancer among women in the past few decades. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the UK, with more than 41,000 new cases being diagnosed each year. The research, which is being unveiled at the Fertility 2007 conference in York this week, involved grazing sheep for up to five years on a field treated with processed human sewage sludge, used to represent the everyday mix of chemicals present in the environment, such as pesticides and synthetic oestrogen, found in the contraceptive pill. Dr Paul Fowler, senior lecturer in reproductive physiology at Aberdeen University, said the model of "real-life" exposure was a vital element of the work, instead of using extremely high doses of chemicals which are often used in other toxicology studies.

Environmental Science and Technology, April 11, 2007

Occupational pesticide exposure has been linked to cutaneous melanoma in epidemiological studies. We studied the association between cutaneous melanoma and the residential use of pesticides. This is a case-control study of cutaneous melanoma (287 incident cases; 299 controls). Data on pesticide use was obtained with a standardised interview. An increased risk of melanoma was found for high use (4 times annually) of indoor pesticides (odds ratio (OR)=2.18; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.07-4.43) compared to low use (1 times annually), after adjustment for sex, age, education, sun exposure and pigmentary characteristics. Subjects exposed for 10 years or more had two and a half times the risk (OR=2.46; 95% CI 1.23-4.94) of those exposed for less than 10 years. A dose response was observed for the intensity of pesticides use (p(trend)=0.027). The results indicate that residential pesticide exposure may be an independent risk factor for cutaneous melanoma

Eur J Cancer. 2007 Apr;43(6):1066-75.

Quarter 1 News (Jan-March 2007)

MEPs have voted to almost double in length a list of pollutants earmarked for priority control action under the EU's water framework directive. Environmentalists and the water industry welcomed the move but the decision will disappoint industry sectors that produce or use the chemicals affected.

The European parliament's environment committee said EU maximum concentration limits should be set for 28 new substances and that a tougher phase-out objective should apply more widely to the list. If backed by the parliament's plenary body it would almost certainly spark a confrontation with governments.

Voting on the plans at first reading in Brussels on Tuesday, the committee said the priority list should be expanded by 28 substances, including major industrial chemicals such as the pesticide glyphosate, plastics intermediate bisphenol-A and flame retardant TBBPA. This would require the commission to develop EU quality standards for each pollutant. On top of this the committee said a further 11 of the original 33 chemicals – including the plasticiser DEHP and lead. ENDS Europe DAILY 2292, 28/03/07

A worldwide epidemic of occupational cancer is claiming at least one life every 52 seconds, but this tragedy is being ignored by both official regulators and employers. This stark warning comes from a global union coalition, which this week launched stage one of a “zero cancer” campaign to tackle what it says is the No.1 workplace killer worldwide.

Marcello Malentacchi, General Secretary of the International Metalworkers’ Federation, says: “Occupational cancer is the most common work-related cause of death, ahead of other work-related diseases and accidents, but it is not taken seriously by regulators or employers.

”A new cancer prevention guide, reveals that over 600,000 deaths a year – one death every 52 seconds – are caused by occupational cancer, making up almost one-third of all work-related deaths. The guide was produced as part of the first ever international zero occupational cancer campaign, involving 11 global trade union organisations together representing over 300 million members in more than 150 countries. International Metalworkers’ Federation, 23 March 2007

Top

An analysis of CDC data reveals elevated risk of insulin resistance associated with several persistent organic pollutants. Exposures were to background levels within the general population. The odds ratio rose from 1.8 to 4.4 to 7.5 for being above the 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles of exposure, respectively. The research team concludes that organochlorine pesticides and some PCBs may act through increasing insulin resistance to heighten the risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care

Too many calories and too little exercise are undeniably the major factors contributing to the obesity epidemic, but several recent animal studies suggest that environmental exposure to widely used chemicals may also help make people fat.

The evidence is preliminary, but a number of researchers are pursuing indications that the chemicals, which have been shown to cause abnormal changes in animals' sexual development, can also trigger fat-cell activity -- a process scientists call adipogenesis.

The chemicals under scrutiny are used in products from marine paints and pesticides to food and beverage containers. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found one chemical, bisphenol A, in 95 percent of the people tested, at levels at or above those that affected development in animals. The Washington Post, March 12, 2007

Ontario is being lobbied by a number of well-known medical, public-health and environmental organizations to institute a province-wide ban on the aesthetic use of pesticides.

If the Liberal government accepts the idea, Ontario would be the second province, after Quebec, to take this action and it would mean that more than half of the country's residents live in areas where the use of pesticides for cosmetic reasons has been made illegal, based on health concerns. Dozens of cities, including Toronto and Halifax, also have bans.

"We're hoping for legislation in Ontario like the legislation they've got in Quebec," said Gideon Forman, executive director of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, one of the groups requesting the ban. It would mean homeowners would not be permitted to spray lawns with herbicides, such as 2,4-D, to kill dandelions just because they don't like the looks o the weed; they would only be able to use products to kill pests, such as rats or mosquitoes, that pose recognized health threats.

A delegation from his organization, along with the Canadian Cancer Society's Ontario wing, the Ontario College of Family Physicians, Pesticide Free Ontario, and the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, plans to meet with Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health officials today to seek a ban. Toronto Globe and Mail , 26 February 2007

“Is the environment making us fat?” That is the intriguing question posed by Bruce Blumberg of the University of California, Irvine. His research into endocrine disrupters—chemical compounds that interfere with the body's normal processing of hormones such as oestrogen—has led him to conclude that some of them may well encourage obesity. The Economist, February 22nd 2007

Arsenic contamination of drinking water is considered a serious worldwide environmental health threat that is associated with increased disease risks including skin, lung, bladder and other cancers; type 2 diabetes; vascular and cardiovascular disease; reproductive and developmental effects; and neurological and cognitive effects.

Increased health risks may occur at as low as 10-50 ppb, while biological effects have been observed in experimental animal and cell culture systems at much lower levels. We previously reported that As is a potent endocrine disruptor, altering gene regulation by the closely related glucocorticoid, mineralocorticoid, progesterone and androgen steroid receptors at concentrations as low as 0.01 µM ( 0.7 ppb).Toxicological Sciences, February 5, 2007

This study was designed to determine the body burden of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) among first-time mothers in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts area and to explore key routes of exposure.

We collected breast milk samples from 46 first-time mothers, 2-8 weeks after birth. We also sampled house dust from the homes of a subset of participants by vacuuming commonly used areas. Data on personal characteristics, diet, home furniture, and electrical devices were gathered from each participant using a questionnaire. Breast milk and dust samples were analyzed for PBDEs using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

PBDE concentrations were log-normally distributed in breast milk and dust. We found statistically significant, positive associations between PBDE concentrations in breast milk and house dust (r = 0.76, p = 0.003, not including BDE-209), as well as with reported dietary habits, particularly the consumption of dairy products (r = 0.41, p = 0.005) and meat (r = 0.37, p = 0.01).

Due to low detection rates, it was not possible to draw conclusions about the association between BDE-209 in milk and dust. Our results support the hypothesis that the indoor environment and diet both play prominent roles in adult human exposure to PBDEs. Environ. Sci. Technol., January 17, 2007

Female mice exposed to a common chemical found in plastics while in the womb develop abnormal eggs, according to a new study. Based on this finding, researchers speculate that the chemical, bisphenol A, might increase the risk of spontaneous abortion and genetic disorders in humans, such as Down's syndrome.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is commonly found in hard plastics and the lining of tin cans. The chemical has come under scrutiny before because it can mimic the hormone oestrogen. Patricia Hunt at Washington State University in Pullman, US, and colleagues exposed pregnant mice to 20 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of their bodyweight each day over a one-week period. During this same period, the reproductive cells of female mice developing inside in the womb begin a process of division known as meiosis. New Scientist, 12 January 2007

In one of the largest study of its kind, Travison et al. report a population-wide decline in Massachusetts's men’s testosterone levels during the last 20 years that is not related to normal aging or to health and lifestyle factors known to influence testosterone levels.

They found that testosterone concentrations dropped about 1.2% per year, or about 17% overall, from 1987 to 2004. The downward trend was seen in both the population and in individuals over time. The decline is consistent with other long-term trends in male reproductive health, including decreases in sperm quality and increases in testicular cancer, hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 92:196–202. 2007

Top

Norway's pollution control authority (SFT) has proposed banning ten previously unregulated substances used in consumer products, and restricting more tightly a further eleven. The proposals will lead to the banning of some products "even if they are permitted in other EU/EEA countries", the agency said.

The first group, comprising compounds for which alternatives are available, covers MCCPs, biphenyl A, musk xylene and musk ketone, triclosan, PFOS and PFOA, and the brominated flame retardants deca-BDE, HBCDD and TBBPA.More stringent limits will apply to the phthalate DEHP, the organic tin compounds TBT and TFT, pentachlorophenyl, the tensides DTDMAC, DODMAC/DSDMAC and DHTDMAC, and the heavy metals lead, cadmium, mercury arsenic and their compounds. ENDS Europe DAILY 2234, 05/01/07

Tests conducted on four prominent federal politicians, including Health Minister Tony Clement, have found all of them carry in their bodies trace levels of dozens of potentially dangerous pollutants.

The testing, which was also done on NDP leader Jack Layton, Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, and Liberal environment critic John Godfrey, found a bewildering cocktail of contaminants in the elected officials. They all had residues from stain repellants, flame retardants, and insecticides, among other deleterious substances.

The results came from an unusual chemical check up organized by Environmental Defence, an activist group that had previously tested ordinary Canadians and found extensive contaminant burdens in everyone evaluated. Based on this finding, it challenged the elected leaders to see how they stacked up and the four volunteered to do so.

For reasons that are unclear, the politicians had a significantly higher burden of chemical contaminates in their bodies than other Canadians the group has tested. The Globe and Mail, Toronto, 22nd December 2006

Click here to view archived news 2006

Click here to view archived news 2005

Click here to view archived news 2004

Top of page