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

Viviane Maraghi expected the blood tests to show she would have some chemical pollution in her body, but nothing like this. After all, she viewed herself as "very environmentalist," carefully monitoring what she ate and the household products and items she purchased. Nevertheless, lead, arsenic, mercury, PCBs, PBDEs (a flame retardant banned in Europe and eight U.S. states but still in use in Canada), plus an array of other chemicals that have been linked to cancer, birth defects and neurological diseases were all well represented in her bloodstream.

Viviane Maraghi and son Aladin, 12, were tested for chemical contaminants as part of a 2005 Environmental Defence study. The results surprised them. Her blood tested positive for 36 of 68 potentially toxic chemicals, many of which never actually leave the body, but continue to accumulate over time in tissues such as fat or bone. They get there because they are in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the products we use.

Elevated bladder cancer risk due to colorants--a state-wide case-control study in north Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Occupational exposure to aromatic amines is a known bladder cancer risk factor, whereas the impact of exposure to azo dyes, which may release aromatic amines in humans, is at present controversial. Therefore, the impact of occupational exposures to colorants was investigated in 156 bladder cancer cases and 336 controls in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for bladder cancer was elevated in 7 painters (OR 1.98, 95% CI 0.64-6.11), 4 hairdressers (OR 4.9, 95% CI 0.85-28.39), and 16 cases who reported a wood processing occupation (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.58-2.41). Ten of these 16 cases reported chronic exposure to colorants (OR 1.84, 95% CI 0.68-4.95). The results of this epidemiological study confirm the hypothesis that individuals exposed to colorants show an elevated bladder cancer risk.

Recommendations of the AMA reference committee "D" passed the House of Delegates yesterday and is now policy of the AMA.

Resolution 404 - modern chemicals policies, Resolution 413 - modern chemicals policy, Resolution 418 - a modern chemicals policy, Resolution 427 - encouraging safer chemicals policies and regulatory reform of industrial chemicals to protect and improve human health. www.ama-assn.org

A Case-Control Study of Childhood Brain Tumors and Fathers' Hobbies: A Children's Oncology Group Study

A comprehensive case-control study was conducted to evaluate parental risk factors for medulloblastoma (MB) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET). This analysis was conducted to evaluate associations between fathers' hobbies and risk of their children developing MB/PNET. The hobbies chosen for study were those with similar exposures as occupations associated with childhood cancers. RESULTS: In multivariate analyses, a significant association was seen for lawn care with pesticides [during pregnancy: odds ratio (OR) = 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0, 2.5; after birth: OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.8] and a weak association was seen for stripping paint [during pregnancy: OR = 1.4, 95% CI: 0.8, 2.6; after birth: OR = 1.4, 95% CI: 0.7, 2.6]. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that household exposures from hobbies, particularly pesticides, may increase risk of MB/PNET in children; previous research has been mostly limited to occupational exposures.

Teenagers may be more susceptible than adults to certain types of cancer, including cervical, testicular and skin cancer, British scientists said this week. Certain cancer rates rose faster among adolescents in England than in adults from 1979 to 2003, according to research presented at an international conference on teenage cancer in London. But researchers have yet to determine why the rates differ - whether the cause is genetic or hormonal, or if it stems from environment, lifestyle or a mix of all three. "The question is whether there are special reasons these young people are developing cancers that are usually only typical of adults," said Jillian Birch, director of Cancer Research United Kingdom's Pediatric and Familial Cancer Research Group.

On a scorching June afternoon in Jhajjal village in south-western Punjab, elderly men have gathered in a communal courtyard to quell the boredom of the long afternoon with a game of cards. The cotton crop has been sown, and the farmers have a few weeks' holiday before they must return to their fields. As with most small villages, everyone knows everyone else here, and the conversation centers around marriages and births. But these usually mundane topics have taken on a tragic twist, involving couples failing to conceive, children being born with genetic disorders, people of all ages succumbing to cancer. Nadar Singh, the village headman, says there have been some 20 cancer-related deaths during the last five years in Jhajjal, a village of only 3,200. "A 23-year-old died of cancer in our village last year," he says, "But such news has stopped shocking us. Here even kids have cancer."

Chemicals produced by humans have been found in deep-sea squid and other creatures, further evidence that contaminants make their way deep into the marine food web, scientists said Monday. Researchers found a variety of chemical contaminants in nine species of cephalopods, which include octopods, squids, cuttlefishes and nautiluses. These species are food for dolphins, narwhals, killer whales and other toothed whales. The researchers collected nine species of cephalopods up to a mile down and deeper in the Western North Atlantic Ocean by trawling.

These three short videos on environmental estrogens found in everyday products, including cosmetics and personal care products, plastics, detergents, and estrogenic heavy metals found in electronics are really worth watching. They have been produced by BCERF, the Cornell University Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors. The videos were designed to reach younger women (teens and college aged), an audience that often is not aware of breast cancer risk factors. View videos at: http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/research/endocrine/videos/

Patient care and safety begin with the environment in which care is administered. The chemicals and waste products hospitals release into the environment are as important to community health as the quality of care in acute settings. In keeping with its commitment to the overall health and well-being of the communities it serves, San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) recently converted all 42 of its hospital campuses to DEHP- and PVC-free infusion products, ensuring a greater degree of patient and environmental safety in the delivery of hospital care.

There is increasing evidence both from epidemiology studies and animal models that specific endocrine-disrupting compounds may influence the development or progression of prostate cancer. In large part, these effects appear to be linked primarily to interference with estrogen signaling, either through interacting with estrogen receptors (ERs) or by influencing steroid metabolism and altering estrogen levels within the body. In humans, epidemiologic evidence links specific pesticides, PCBs and inorganic arsenic exposures to elevated prostate cancer risk. Studies in animal models also show augmentation of prostate carcinogenesis with several other environmental estrogenic compounds including cadmium, UV filters and Bisphenol A. Importantly, there appears to be heightened sensitivity of the prostate to these endocrine disruptors during the critical developmental windows including in utero and neonatal time points as well as during puberty. Thus infants and children may be considered a highly susceptible population for ED exposures and increased risk of prostate cancers with aging.

Association of urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations with body mass index and waist circumference: a cross-sectional study of NHANES data, 1999-2002

Abridged Abstract: Although diet and activity are key factors in the obesity epidemic, laboratory studies suggest that endocrine disrupting chemicals may also affect obesity. This exploratory, cross-sectional analysis revealed a number of interesting associations with different phthalate metabolites and obesity outcomes, including notable differences by gender and age subgroups. Effects of endocrine disruptors, such as phthalates, may depend upon endogenous hormone levels, which vary dramatically by age and gender. Individual phthalates also have different biologic and hormonal effects. Although our study has limitations, both of these factors could explain some of the variation in the observed associations. These preliminary data support the need for prospective studies in populations at risk for obesity.

Tracking plastic's breakdown products. Researchers examine the metabolites of a popular plasticizer in sewage sludge.

A rapidly growing body of research has raised concerns about the safety of phthalate plasticizers found in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, cosmetics, and medical devices. Now, scientists are gaining new insights by looking not just at the parent compounds but at their metabolites as well. Scientists worry that infant boys exposed to phthalate plasticizers in medical tubing and bags could experience abnormal development of the reproductive tract. The most widely used plasticizer is DEHP, or di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, and millions of tons are produced annually, says Jim Nicell, an environmental engineer at McGill University (Canada). When added to PVC, DEHP lubricates the brittle polymer, providing it with the well-known flexibility that makes it ideal for use in building materials, household furnishings, and medical devices such as intravenous tubes and bags.

Everyday products sold in Canada -- from lipstick to laundry detergent -- would be forced to carry warning labels listing toxic ingredients as hazardous under a private member's bill backed by consumer groups. Bolstered by the environmental law group Toxic Free Canada and the Quebec consumer group Options Consommateur, Peter Julian of the New Democrats tabled legislation Thursday requiring that all products sold in Canada have clear warning labels specifying their toxic substances. Hazard labelling legislation has already been adopted in the European Union and the State of California. "Consumers in Europe and consumers in California have the right to know. We're saying that Canadians need that right to know," said Julian, who represents the B.C. riding of Burnaby-New Westminster.

Brussels, 29 May 2008 - Victims of human rights and environmental abuses by European companies around the world could find justice in European courts under proposals unveiled today at an international conference at the European Parliament. The European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) - a leading network of over 250 civil society organisations around Europe - has revealed policy proposals developed by a team of legal experts which if adopted by the European Union would guarantee the legal responsibility of companies based in Europe, and their directors, for human rights or environmental violations committed by their subsidiaries or subcontractors anywhere in the world. ECCJ has found that the legal structure of companies and weak accountability mechanisms all too often result in ethical mismanagement by companies. From mercury poisoning in South Africa to child labour in India, companies’ breaches of environmental and human rights standards have revealed systemic failings in the operation of many companies that has resulted in environmental and social harm for many years.

On Cancer’s Trail! The women in Stefanie Raymond-Whish’s family have a history of breast cancer. Now the young Navajo biologist is asking why.

Stefanie Raymond-Whish was 9 years old when her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. A traditional Navajo who raised 15 children after her husband died in a car wreck, Raymond-Whish’s ama’ sa’ ni seldom spoke about her illness. Even after her surgery, when she lived with the grandchildren and their mother, she always acted strong around the kids. It became a pattern: When Raymond-Whish was 13, her 38-year-old mother, Nellie Sandoval, was also diagnosed with breast cancer. And Sandoval was equally reserved on the subject. "My mother was really good about not appearing sick in front of us," says Raymond-Whish, now 32. "As a little girl, I knew about cancer, but didn’t understand the impact of it at the time." In over six decades of atomic health testing, no one had ever noticed that uranium, at low doses, can act like an estrogen. Now scientists are asking about its role in breast cancer, especially in the Navajo nation.

Germany has banned a family of pesticides that are blamed for the deaths of millions of honeybees. The German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) has suspended the registration for eight pesticide seed treatment products used in rapeseed oil and sweetcorn. The move follows reports from German beekeepers in the Baden-Württemberg region that two thirds of their bees died earlier this month following the application of a pesticide called clothianidin. “It’s a real bee emergency,” said Manfred Hederer, president of the German Professional Beekeepers’ Association. “50-60% of the bees have died on average and some beekeepers have lost all their hives.”

Nail Salon Workers - Repeated And Prolonged Exposure To Variety Of Chemicals Could Put Workers At Risk

They pamper us and make us feel special. They work long hours for low wages and English is usually their second language, if then. They are mainly Vietnamese women who make their living giving manicures and pedicures. They also suffer from acute health effects associated with the chemicals they use in that work, according to a new survey from the Northern California Cancer Center and Asian Health Services of Oakland. This is one of the first such surveys to focus on this understudied workforce. "Nail care workers routinely handle products containing many potentially harmful compounds, some of which are carcinogens or have endocrine disrupting effects, yet are virtually unregulated," explained Thu Quach, MPH, of the Northern California Cancer Center. "Our survey is part of a pilot project designed to characterize Vietnamese nail salon workers in Alameda County, California in order to inform future health interventions and reduce occupational exposures. Nail salon workers are likely to have higher exposures to these compounds than the customers they serve."

‘Killer Cribs’ Study Finds Toxics in California Baby Products and Furniture: Leno Bill Banning Halogenated Fire Retardants Hailed As Solution

Our new report called Killer Cribs, released today, documents the tragic spread of two classes of fire retardants – known as halogenated fire retardants – into products used by the youngest members of our society – babies and children. The report shows that 31 percent of baby products such as portable cribs, car seats, nursing pillows, strollers, baby back packs, and infant chairs contain dangerous levels of toxic fire retardants, exposing babies and small children to chemicals that can make them sick. In hundreds of studies, these fire retardants have been linked to serious health disorders like cancer, birth defects, hormone disruption, brain and reproductive disorders, and learning disabilities such as ADHD. Today, almost every baby and child has these toxic fire retardants in their bodies. Babies have the highest levels because they sleep up to 16 hours a day in cribs or playpens contaminated with fire retardants, and they are especially vulnerable because at these young ages, their brains and reproductive organs are developing so quickly.

Town's rate 10 times state average, says researcher, call for inquiry into claims of secret testing in 1960s. Claims by a leading researcher that cancer deaths in a small town in Queensland, Australia, are 10 times higher than the state average owing to the secret testing of Agent Orange there more than 40 years ago are to be investigated by the authorities. Australian military scientists sprayed the toxic herbicide on rainforest near Innisfail during defoliant testing in the early years of the Vietnam war, it is alleged. The jungle began dying and has never recovered, according to local people. The site is near a river which supplies water for the town in the far north of the country and researchers believe the spraying may be responsible for cancer rates in the area being 10 times the state average and four times the national average.

Fate of Personal Care Products Linked to Environmental Pollution and Human Health Concerns

Parental concerns in maintaining germ-free homes for their children have led to an ever-increasing demand and the rapid adoption of anti-bacterial soaps and cleaning agents. But the active ingredients of those antiseptic soaps now have come under scrutiny by the EPA and FDA, due to both environmental and human health concerns. Two closely related antimicrobials, triclosan and triclocarban, are at the center of the debacle. Whereas triclosan (TCS) has long captured the attention of toxicologists due to its structural resemblance to dioxin (the Times Beach and Love Canal poison), triclocarban (TCC) has ski-rocketed in 2004 from an unknown and presumably harmless consumer product additive to one of today's top ten pharmaceuticals and personal care products most frequently found in the environment and in U.S. drinking water resources.

Ralph Short scoffs at the idea that the Indian River power plant is linked to high rates of lung cancer. For the past five decades, he has lived within two miles and "can see the power plant from my front door." Neither he nor his family members have had cancer. "I was born and raised in Sussex County," said Short, 75. "I'd say the chicken man's got as much to do with it as the power plant." The power plant is ground zero in the state's cancer cluster study, which began in mid-March and will wrap up in August. The research is a follow-up to a study released last summer identifying a cluster of cancer cases in six codes around the coal-fired power plant. That study showed the age-adjusted rate of cancer cases in the area is 17 percent higher than the national average, including an increased incidence in lung cancer among older residents.

Study of 13,000 children exposes link between use of handsets and later behavioural problems. Women who use mobile phones when pregnant are more likely to give birth to children with behavioural problems, according to authoritative research. A giant study, which surveyed more than 13,000 children, found that using the handsets just two or three times a day was enough to raise the risk of their babies developing hyperactivity and difficulties with conduct, emotions and relationships by the time they reached school age. And it adds that the likelihood is even greater if the children themselves used the phones before the age of seven. The results of the study, the first of its kind, have taken the top scientists who conducted it by surprise. But they follow warnings against both pregnant women and children using mobiles by the official Russian radiation watchdog body, which believes that the peril they pose "is not much lower than the risk to children's health from tobacco or alcohol".

Amid growing concern that harmful chemicals may be present in many common, everyday products, a Senate Commerce subcommittee will meet Wednesday to discuss the state of two chemicals in particular that have been linked to health problems. The Consumer Affairs, Insurance, and Automotive Safety Subcommittee will look at bisphenol A and phthalates, two chemicals that are used in a wide variety of consumer products. The panel will address their health implications, as well as alternatives and how the federal government has assessed their toxicity. Governments and retailers around the world are paying attention after several reports linked the chemicals -- both found in various products for children and adults -- to developmental and health problems.

Studies have shown that exposing developing laboratory animals to low levels of bisphenol A -- found in the packaging of consumer goods, such as water and food containers, shatter-resistant baby bottles and dental fillings -- can trigger early puberty, cause changes in behavior and affect the brain, prostate gland and mammary gland.

When you wash your hair or put on makeup, are you getting a dangerous dose of toxic chemicals in the process? Safety advocates are sounding the alarm about the potential health risks in thousands of cosmetic ingredients.

Biologist Renee sharp says reading labels is worthless if you don't know what they mean. Sharp is senior analyst for the Environmental Working Group, a cosmetic safety advocate in Washington, D.C.

Sharp says studies show as many half the personal care products on the market have at least one chemical linked to either reproductive problems or cancer. "We're basically conducting a giant chemical experiment on ourselves." she said. Sharp points to parabens as one example. Parabens are widely used as preservatives. Names you'll likely see on ingredient labels are ethylparaben, propylparaben and methylparaben.

A new study suggests that firefighters face higher-than-average risks of several types of cancer, adding to evidence that the job carries hazards beyond the fires themselves. A number of studies have found that firefighters have elevated cancer rates, though they have not always been consistent in the specific types of cancer. In the current study, researchers found that professional firefighters had higher-than-expected rates of colon cancer and brain cancer. There was also evidence, albeit weaker, that they had elevated risks of bladder and kidney cancers, as well as Hodgkin's lymphoma. Dr. Letitia Davis with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues report the findings in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Firefighters are exposed to many potentially cancer-causing chemicals released from burning materials. At the scene of the fire, toxic substances such as benzene, lead, uranium and asbestos can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

Women whose jobs regularly expose them to weed killers may have a higher-than-normal risk of a particular form of brain cancer, results of a U.S. study suggest. Researchers found that among more than 1,400 U.S. adults with and without brain cancer, there was no overall link between the disease and on-the-job exposure to pesticides or herbicides -- chemicals used to kill plants, usually weeds. However, a closer look at the data showed that women who had ever been exposed to herbicides at work had a two-fold higher risk of meningioma than women with no such exposure. Meningiomas are slow-growing tumors that arise in the tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. They are one of the most common forms of brain tumor, and occur most frequently in middle-aged women.

A chemical that comes from the pesticide DDT may raise a man's risk of developing testicular cancer, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. They found a clear link between testicular cancer and DDE, which is created when the body or the environment breaks down the pesticide DDT. Men with the highest levels of DDE were 70 percent more likely to have developed testicular cancer than those with the lowest levels, according to the study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Hair dye could have hidden risks. Women who dye their hair may be increasing their risk of cancer, scientists warn. Those who use hair dyes more than nine times a year have a 60 per cent greater risk of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a study suggests. Women who regularly used hair dyes before 1980 could be in even greater danger, with a 70 per cent increased risk of developing the blood disease. This is because dyes sold before then contained toxic ingredients linked to cancer which are not present in modern hair products. The research also suggests the risk of developing another type of cancer is increased by dark colours. Women who use dark hair dyes are 50 per cent more likely to develop follicular lymphoma, a non-aggressive blood cancer. If non-permanent dark dyes are used the risk increases to 70 per cent, according to the study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The Canadian government is said to be ready to declare as toxic a chemical widely used in plastics for baby bottles, beverage and food containers as well as linings in food cans. A person with knowledge of the government’s chemical review program spoke on the condition he not be named because of a confidentiality agreement. He said the staff work to list the compound, called bisphenol-a, or B.P.A., as a toxic chemical was complete and was recently endorsed by a panel of outside scientists. A public announcement by Health Canada may come as early as Wednesday but could be delayed until the end of May. Canada would be the first country to make a health finding against B.P.A., which has been shown to disrupt the hormonal systems of animals. The department’s decision was first reported in The Globe and Mail, a Toronto newspaper, on Tuesday.

Breast cancer has increased dramatically in Europe over the past 20 years, with a doubling of the number of cases in some countries over this time period. A recent report presented to the European Parliament suggests that by reducing our exposure to certain chemicals, the number of women who develop breast cancer could also be reduced. The report by UK researchers summarises the evidence for the link between breast cancer and environmental influences. Exposure to hormone-disruptive chemicals, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs, is thought to be a key factor, but there are other relevant chemicals found in the environment, such as pesticides and phthalates (widely used in consumer products, such as plastics). Individually, these may not cause breast cancer, but there is scientific concern about the 'cocktail effect', where exposure to a combination of these chemicals may interact with hormones to trigger cancer. Studies to date have tended to focus on single chemicals, ignoring the possibility of chemical interactions.

Health Canada is calling bisphenol A a dangerous substance, making it the first regulatory body in the world to reach such a determination and taking the initial step toward measures to control exposures to it. Although the government won't announce specific bans or restrictions, the designation as dangerous could pave the way for the hormonally active chemical to be listed as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which would allow Health Minister Tony Clement to issue specific measures to curb its use.

Breast cancer is not simply a lifestyle and genetic disease but can be the result of environmental factors, noticeably exposure to chemicals, says a report published last week. Commissioned by the Health and Environment Alliance, a European network of non-governmental organisations, and the Chem Trust, the report coordinates the findings of several international research projects between 2002 and 2007 on chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system. Commenting on the results, the author, Andreas Kortenkamp, the head of the centre for toxicology at London University’s school of pharmacy, said, "Good laboratory and epidemiological evidence exists suggesting that manmade chemicals that mimic oestrogen contribute to breast cancer. "We will not be able to reduce the risk of breast cancer without addressing preventable causes, particularly exposure to chemicals."

Trans-fats, which are being phased out of food because they clog arteries, may raise the risk of getting breast cancer, European researchers reported yesterday. They found that women with the highest blood levels of trans-fats had about twice the risk of breast cancer compared with women with the lowest levels. "At this stage, we can only recommend limiting the consumption of processed foods, the source of industrially produced trans-fatty acid," the researchers wrote in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Trans-fats or trans-fatty acids are made in creating artificially hardened fats - in the process of hydrogenization, for instance. They were, ironically, meant to be healthful replacements for artery-clogging saturated fats such as butter and lard. But the process of making vegetable oil behave like butter made it as unhealthy as butter. New York and California have banned trans-fats in restaurant foods. Canada and Britain have considered it and countless food companies have dropped them as an ingredient.

Success For Green MEP As Euro-Parliament Identifies Environmental Causes Of Cancer In New ‘Task Force’ Proposals

The European Parliament has passed an important resolution on combating cancer, with an overwhelming majority of Euro-MPs agreeing to amendments proposed by a Green MEP to highlight the environmental causes behind the disease. Drawing on scientific evidence showing that cancers can be caused by environmental factors including toxic chemicals found in household goods, pesticides and poor air quality, South East MEP Caroline Lucas proposed significant changes to a Parliament resolution seeking to establish an EU Cancer Task Force to fight the disease more effectively. Caroline said: “This landmark decision by the European Parliament means that MEPs now officially recognise that the environmental causes like pollution and chemical contamination must be considered in any strategy to combat cancer.

The breast cancer epidemic cannot be reversed without considering women's exposure to chemical cocktails throughout their lives, argued Professor Andreas Kortenkamp of the University of London, presenting new scientific evidence to the European Parliament. "There is a breast cancer epidemic in Europe, especially in Eastern Europe, and also in Western Europe the figures continue to rise," Kortenkamp told EurActiv as he presented a study in the Parliament on 2 April. Kortenkamp, the head of the Centre for Toxicology at the University of London, said medical doctors agree that better mammographic screening alone cannot explain the rise. Instead, he says, there is now "compelling evidence that natural and pharmaceutically applied hormones play a role in breast cancer, for instance, hormone replacement therapy (HRT)". HRT, he said, "raises concerns about environmental chemicals and chemicals in consumer products that are hormonally active and behave biologically, in just the same way as the natural estrogens".

In a major change of direction the French National Library has decided not to install WI-FI, based on rising scientific and public health concern (and the concern of staff and patrons) about exposures to wireless RF. It follows the lead of other Paris-based libraries that disconnected their existing WI-FI services over health concerns of workers.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) not only increases the risk of first-time breast cancer, it also makes recurrence of the malignancy more likely, according to a report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The findings stem from an analysis of follow-up data for 442 women who were previously treated for breast cancer and were enrolled in the Hormonal Replacement After Breast Cancer--Is it Safe (HABITS) study, a trial that was stopped early after HRT use was linked to an increased risk of cancer. During a follow-up period of around 4 years, 39 of 221 HRT-treated women had a breast cancer recurrence compared with 17 of 221 women who did not take HRT. This suggests that HRT more than doubled the risk of repeat breast cancer.

To reduce the incidence of breast cancers, it is essential to decrease exposure to chemicals, according to a report published on April 2, commissioned by Alliance for the health and environment (HEAL) and of CHEM Trust. The report was authored by Professor Andreas Kortenkamp, Head of Centre for Toxicology at the University of London. The report also shows that breast cancer incidence has increased in Western countries and in Europe, close to 1 in 10 women will develop breast cancer. Environmental factors are the principal cause of breast cancer cases with heredity factors calculated at 27%.

Environmental effects are underestimated according to Dr. Annie Sasco, Epidemiologist at INSERM

"In cancer prevention, we cannot control all the elements at our individual level," Professor Sasco, in an article in Le Monde. Professor Sasco answered questions and gave her views on, a finding the decreased use of HRT may be linked to a fall in breast cancer cases, and, chemoprevention in women with a genetic susceptibility to breast cancer. Professor Sasco was also asked, “How can we improve cancer prevention?” The article (French) can be found at www.lemonde.fr/..

Speaking at the International Cancer Conference at Stirling University Scotland, BWI Health and Safety Director Fiona Murie, told international delegates that workers in the construction and timber trades are the worst affected by cancer causing substances at work. There is a large number of cancer causing substances in our sectors. Unsafe work methods, informal, temporary employment and exploitative labour practices means that millions of workers are routinely exposed in both industrialised and developing countries.

In February, 2008, 17 scientists from seven countries met at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France, to reassess the carcinogenicity of some aromatic amines and organic dyes. Additionally, occupational exposures of hairdressers and barbers and exposure from personal use of hair colourants were reviewed. These assessments will be published as volume 99 of the IARC Monographs. Some aromatic amines have long been known to cause bladder cancer in human beings, and several others are suspected of being carcinogenic. Aromatic amines also cause bladder cancer whenever they are tested in dogs. The Working Group identified several additional aromatic amines that are carcinogenic to human beings.

Reanalysis of updated mortality among vinyl and polyvinyl chloride workers: Confirmation of historical evidence and new findings.

The production of vinyl chloride (VC) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) involves the use of various chemicals, some known to be toxic and potentially or definitely carcinogenic. The related potential risk often has not been properly investigated. A study, which reanalysed mortality data among different subgroups of workers employed in a VC-PVC production plant located in Porto Marghera concluded, this cohort analysis, based on internal comparison, confirmed previously reported specific risk excesses for liver tumors and liver cirrhosis among autoclave workers and for lung cancer among PVC baggers, and revealed PVC compound workers as a possible new at risk group for all causes, all tumors and for liver and lung tumors. In conclusion, relative risks for all causes of death and all tumors were increased among all blue collar workers.

News About the Environment and Cancer

Quarter 1 News 2008
(January - March 2008)

Mobile phones 'more dangerous than smoking'
Brain expert warns of huge rise in tumours and calls on industry to take immediate steps to reduce radiation. Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever possible and that Governments and the mobile phone industry must take "immediate steps" to reduce exposure to their radiation. The study, by Dr Vini Khurana, is the most devastating indictment yet published of the health risks.
The Independent, March 30, 2008

Hair dyes found to increase cancer risk
Hairdressers and barbers are at increased risk of developing cancer – because of their use of hair dyes. And the risks could extend to personal use of the dyes, according to international experts. A review of the evidence by a panel of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, has found a “small but consistent risk of bladder cancer in Male hairdressers and barbers". A second review of the evidence on personal use of hair dyes found some studies suggesting a possible association with bladder cancer and with lymphoma and leukaemia. The full report will be published as Volume 99 of the IARC Monographs.
The Independent, March 26, 2008

Environmental Toxins, Radiation may Be Tied to Breast Cancer
Exposure to plasticizers and other chemicals in childhood may hike adult cancer risks, report says. In the decades following World War II, both breast cancer rates and the use of synthetic chemicals soared in the United States and a new report contends there's a strong connection between the two. The report produced by the Breast Cancer Fund, a non-profit group whose mission is to identify environmental links to breast cancer, The State of the Evidence: 2008 concludes toxic chemicals in the environment, along with increased radiation exposure, are the main culprits in the sharp rise of breast cancer incidence.
HealthDay News, March 19, 2008

Man-Made Chemicals May Put Strain on Fish
The Potomac River contains an array of man-made chemicals that could play havoc with animals' hormone systems, federal scientists have found in their best glimpse yet of the river's problems with a mysterious new class of pollutant. The research, unveiled at a conference last week, found more than 10 of the compounds, including pesticides, herbicides and artificial fragrances. Through an accident of chemistry, formulas designed to kill bugs or add smell to soap might also interfere with vital signals in fish, amphibians and other creatures. The scientists said they hoped this new research might explain one of the Potomac's most bizarre discoveries: Some male fish have begun growing eggs. Scientists said there was no evidence of a threat to human health.
Washington Post, March 18, 2008

Overweight women have worse breast cancer: study
Breast cancer patients who are overweight have more aggressive disease and are likely to die sooner, U.S. researchers reported on Friday. A dangerous type of breast cancer, known as inflammatory breast cancer, was seen in 45% of obese patients, compared with 30% of overweight patients and 15% of patients of healthy weight. “The more obese a patient is, the more aggressive the disease,” said Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, who led the study. “We are learning that the fat tissue may increase inflammation that leads to more aggressive disease.”
Reuters, March 17, 2008

Consequences of exposure to carcinogens beginning during development
The increased incidence of cancer over the last 50-60 years may be largely attributed to two factors: the ageing of the population and the diffusion of agents and situations presenting carcinogenic risks. Today, we have entered into a new era in which populations are ever-increasingly exposed to diffuse carcinogenic risks, present not only in the occupational, but also in the general environment. We must now also consider an additional factor in the carcinogenic process, that is, the age in which exposure to carcinogenic risks begins.
ISDE Italia News, March 13, 2008

Spanish study feeds into pesticide controversy
As the EU's pesticides package moves into the final stages of adoption, new research shows that all Spaniards are affected by at least one type of pesticide, fungicide or insecticide classified internationally as potentially harmful to human health. The Spanish study, carried out by the University of Granada, examined the contamination levels of certain persistent organic pollutants in a sample of the adult population (387 individuals) and tried to find determining factors associated with such levels. People from both urban and semi-rural areas were part of the sample. According to the results, published in late 2007, 100% of Spaniards carry at least one type of harmful chemical in their bodies.
ISDE Italia News, March 13, 2008

Low-dose effects: a manufactured controversy?
Endocrinologists know that hormones normally stimulate their receptors at low concentrations, while high concentrations can inhibit these pathways by saturating receptors. But the notion that a substance can produce effects at low levels that disappear at higher levels fundamentally challenges traditional toxicological approaches. Full article available at http://tinyurl.com/2zfkum.
ISDE Italia News, March 13, 2008

Study finds DNA damage in farmers exposed to pesticides
Punjab Farmers are suffering damage to their DNA following excessive exposure to pesticides. This revelation came through in a study conducted by Raminderjeet Kaur, a research fellow under the supervision of Satbir Kaur of the Department of Human Biology, Punjabi University, Patiala. Her study reveals a tremendous DNA damage among the farming community of Punjab, who are occupationally exposed to a variety of pesticides.
Bombay Express, March 12, 2008

Groups demand action against pollutants
For years, public-health organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society and Heart and Stroke Foundation have been saying that the key to dodging deadly diseases is healthy living. But the groups, while still urging sensible steps such as tobacco avoidance, exercise and weight control, say there are some health threats individuals can't easily avoid on their own - such as air pollution and toxic compounds in consumer products - and they are calling on the federal government to take action. The two groups, along with the Canadian Lung Association, want Ottawa to pass legislation forcing companies to identify all the dangerous ingredients in their products, according to a joint statement to be released today. They also want Ottawa to create a countrywide index to measure air pollution.
Globe and Mail, March 6, 2008

'Cancer link' to heavy mobile use
The majority of studies have not found an increased cancer risk. Heavy mobile phone use may be linked to an increased risk of cancer of the salivary gland, a study suggests. Researchers looked at 500 Israelis who had developed the condition and compared their mobile phone usage with 1,300 healthy controls. Those who had used the phone against one side of the head for several hours a day were 50% more likely to have developed a salivary gland tumour.
BBC News Online, February 18, 2008

Obesity Growing to Be Top Cancer Cause
Obesity is on its way to being deadlier than smoking as a cause of cancer, a leading researcher said Friday. Being obese is currently associated with about 14 percent of cancer deaths in men and 20 percent in women, compared with about 30 percent each for smoking, Dr. Walter C. Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health, told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Associated Press, February 15, 2008

Baby toiletries linked to chemical risk
Parents who use baby powder, lotion or shampoo on their infants may unknowingly expose their children to controversial chemicals with hormone-like effects, a study shows. Researchers found the chemicals called phthalates in the urine of all 163 babies tested, according to the study in today's Pediatrics. Most of the babies, whose average age was 13 months, had seven or more types of phthalates in their urine. Concentrations of phthalates were higher in infants who were exposed to lotion, powder and shampoo than in other infants, the study shows.
USA Today, February 4, 2008

Thousands dying of work-related cancers
Tens of thousands of New Zealanders are in jobs that put them at increased risk of cancer but neither they nor their doctors know it. Investigators from Massey University's Centre for Public Health Research are calling on family GPs and cancer specialists to be better informed about their patients' occupations current and past in the hope of improving diagnosis and treatment. They say work-related cancers affect between 700 and 1000 people a year and kill 400, yet fewer than 40 cases a year are notified to the Labour Department. Their call follows new research highlighting the potential risk of bladder cancer or non-Hodgkins lymphoma, published by the group in international journals. The research highlights the potential dangers of a wide range of jobs. Dyes, petrol fumes, solvents and pesticides are the main culprits and work is under way to establish which agents are most dangerous.
Sunday Star Times, February 3, 2008

'Don't put hot water in plastic bottles'
Parents who make warm drinks for their young children in plastic baby bottles are putting them at risk from harmful chemicals, scientists have warned. Mums mistake baby illness for food allergy. A study has shown the level of a "gender-bending" pollutant that leaks from plastic bottles increases dramatically when they are filled with heated liquids. Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical within the plastic, has been linked to fertility problems, diabetes, breast cancer, hyperactivity and early puberty in girls. The study, conducted by Dr Scott Belcher of Cincinnati University, found exposure to boiling water increased the release of the chemical by 55 times. Reporting in the journal Toxicology Letters, Dr Belcher said, "It's not just baby bottles - people put tea or hot water in bottles all the time."
The Telegraph, January 31, 2008

Government promises to rid the nation's food supply of brain-damaging pesticides aren't doing the job.
This is according to the results of a yearlong study that carefully monitored the diets of a group of local children. The peer-reviewed study found that the urine and saliva of children eating a variety of conventional foods from area groceries contained biological markers of organophosphates, the family of pesticides spawned by the creation of nerve gas agents in World War II. When the same children ate organic fruits, vegetables and juices, signs of pesticides were not found. "The transformation is extremely rapid," said Chensheng Lu, the principal author of the study published online in the current issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. "Once you switch from conventional food to organic, the pesticides (malathion and chlorpyrifos) that we can measure in the urine disappears. The level returns immediately when you go back to the conventional diets."
Seattle Post, January 30, 2008

The Chemicals Within:Many common household products contain compounds that could be affecting our health.
As an Alaskan fisherman, Timothy June, 54, used to think that he was safe from industrial pollutants at his home in Haines—a town with a population of 2,400 people and 4,000 eagles, with 20 million acres of protected wilderness nearby. But in early 2007, June agreed to take part in a survey of 35 Americans from seven states. It was a biomonitoring project, in which people's blood and urine were tested for traces of chemicals—in this case, three potentially hazardous classes of compounds found in common household products like shampoo, tin cans, shower curtains and upholstery. The results—released in November in a report called "Is It in Us?" by a coalition of environmental groups—were not reassuring. Every one of the participants, ranging from an Illinois state legislator to a Massachusetts minister, tested positive for all three classes of contaminants. And while the simple presence of these chemicals doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk, the fact that typical Americans carry these chemicals at all shocked June and his fellow participants. As Stephanie Felten, 28, of Aurora, Ill., put it, "Why should chemical companies be allowed to roll the dice on my health?"
Newsweek, January 26, 2008

Mobile phone radiation wrecks your sleep
Phone makers' own scientists discover that bedtime use can lead to headaches, confusion and depression. Radiation from mobile phones delays and reduces sleep, and causes headaches and confusion, according to a new study. The research, sponsored by the mobile phone companies themselves, shows that using the handsets before bed causes people to take longer to reach the deeper stages of sleep and to spend less time in them, interfering with the body's ability to repair damage suffered during the day.
The Independent, January 20, 2008

Baby products under scrutiny: Congress to investigate use of bisphenol A in formula cans
A congressional committee is launching an investigation into the use and safety of a chemical found in many children's and infant products, including the lining of liquid infant formula cans. Michigan Democrats Rep. John Dingell, chairman of the committee on Energy and Commerce, and Rep. Bart Stupak, who chairs a subcommittee, on Thursday sent letters to seven major manufacturers of infant formula, including Nestle USA and Abbott, demanding answers about the companies' use and knowledge of the chemical bisphenol A. "There is concern in the scientific community that this chemical, bisphenol A, may be harmful both to adults and children," Dingell said in a statement. "It would seem obvious that we would try to protect babies and infants from chemicals that may be considered dangerous to adults."
J S Online, January 17, 2008

Air pollution causes sperm mutations
Male mice breathing city air carry more mutations. Don't breath the air: it might meddle with your reproduction. Air pollution can cause DNA mutations in the sperm of mice reared in an industrial city, researchers have found. The results add to ongoing concerns about the effects of air pollution on human health and fertility.
Nature, January 13, 2008

Cancer drugs found in tap water
Britain's tap water should be monitored for powerful medicines after traces of cancer and psychiatric drugs were detected in samples, a report has warned. The 100-page statement, commissioned by the drinking water watchdog, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), reveals that pharmaceuticals are finding their way into the water supply despite extensive purification treatments used by water companies. Trace levels of bleomycin, a cancer chemotherapy drug, and diazepam, a sedative, have been found during tests on drinking water, the report reveals.
The Telegraph, January 13, 2008

Zip Code, 46803: Lung cancer zone
Health officials suspect smoking; residents offer different theories. Intense, solemn Ray Romines spoke with an audible heaviness in his voice, managing a stoic smile... Despite the strong link between smoking and lung cancer - almost nine of 10 lung cancer deaths are smoking-related - Romines' thoughts about what may have caused his cancer drift away from cigarettes. He thinks often about the potential consequences of chemicals deposited at a hazardous waste dump on Adams Center Road about a mile away. A ZIP-code-by-ZIP-code breakdown revealed that the poorest, least-educated ZIP codes in Fort Wayne had the highest lung cancer rates. Given that higher poverty levels and less education usually coincide with higher smoking rates, health officials believe smoking is the most likely culprit. But others contend less prominent causes might be to blame. Chemical Waste Management stopped accepting waste in 1998, but Romines wonders whether there could be lingering health effects for those in the surrounding area.
The Journal Gazette, January 13, 2008

Bisphenol A - most harmful to infants, study says
A new U.S. study on the plastic compound bisphenol A indicates that the chemical may be far more dangerous for young children than for adults. The finding has been submitted to Health Canada for its current safety review of BPA, and bolsters the case for limiting bisphenol A exposure in infants, who lack the capacity that adults have to detoxify it. Bisphenol A is used in polycarbonate baby bottles and the epoxy linings of cans, including those for almost all types of infant formula. Because BPA can mimic estrogen, many researchers suspect it is a factor in health trends linked to sex hormone imbalances, such as prostate and breast cancer. In the new study, researchers found that neonatal mice exposed to trace amounts of bisphenol A, either orally or through injection, ended up with similar amounts of the chemical in their blood because they do not have high amounts of the liver enzyme that breaks it down into an inactive form.
Globe and Mail, January 11, 2008

Nuclear power 'increases child leukaemia risk'
Children living within three miles of nuclear power stations are more than twice as likely to get leukaemia as those who live further away, scientists say. A large study commissioned by the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BFS) found clusters of cases of the blood or bone marrow cancer among children aged under five-years-old living near 16 power stations in the country. The study was reported on the Channel 4 website as the Government gave the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear power stations in Britain.
Daily Telegraph, January 10, 2008

Hormone replacement therapy quadruples risk of breast cancers
Postmenopausal women taking combined oestrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy for three years or longer run four times the risk of developing lobular breast cancer, finds US research. This is shorter than the time associated with an increased risk of other types of breast cancer (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 2008;17:43-50). The study included 1044 women between the ages of 55 and 74 who had been diagnosed as having invasive breast cancer between 2000 and 2004 and entered into the cancer surveillance system in Washington State. They were compared with 469 age matched controls without cancer. A third of the women with breast cancer had lobular cancers, which occur in the chambers of the breast that contain milk producing glands and account for about 15% of all invasive breast cancers.
BMJ 2008;336:116 (19 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.39461.443877.4E

Black women have a higher risk of breast cancer than white women
Black women in Britain develop breast cancer up to 21 years earlier than white women. They are seen at a median age of 46—four years before routine NHS screening for the disease starts—compared with 67 for white women, according to the first published data on breast cancer presentation in black women (British Journal of Cancer; doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604174). Among women with smaller tumours (less than 2 cm), black women were nearly three times as likely to die of their disease (hazard ratio 2.90, 95% CI 0.98 to 8.60, P=0.05). "Our findings could have major implications for the biology of breast cancer and the detection and treatment of the disease in black women," say the authors. "It is crucial to target this group of women to raise their awareness regarding the risks of breast cancer, the likelihood of early age at presentation, and the importance of self-examination."
BMJ 2008;336:116 (19 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.39461.648750.DB

What's preventing prevention?
Tens of thousands of cases of breast cancer could be prevented in the EU if the cancer establishment recognised environmental and occupational risk factors as a major contributory factor in the rising breast cancer epidemic, according to a briefing published in January 2008. The briefing "Politics and Prevention: Linking breast cancer and our environment' from WECF highlights this neglect of the risk factors. "What's preventing prevention?" asks Helen Lynn, author of the briefing. "Conventionally accepted risk factors only account for 50-70 % of breast cancer cases leaving 30-50 % with no known cause. We believe exposure to toxic chemicals is one of the missing risk factors for breast cancer and, as such, is a major contributor to the rising cases of the disease. Yet our governments and the cancer establishments are ignoring this potential route to prevention despite the mounting evidence. We want to know why?
WECF Press Release, January, 2008

Childhood leukemia development and correlation with traffic air pollution in Taiwan using nitrogen dioxide as an air pollutant marker.
To investigate the relationship between traffic air pollution and development of childhood leukemia (14 yr of age or younger), studies were conducted on a matched cancer case-control cohort using childhood deaths that occurred in Taiwan from 1995 through 2005. The results showed that there was a significant exposure-response relationship between exposure to traffic exhaust pollutants and the risk of leukemia among young children after controlling for possible confounders. The findings of this study warrant further investigation of the role of traffic air pollution in the etiology of childhood leukemia.
Weng HH, et al., J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(7):434-8

Nitrosamine carcinogens in chlorinated swimming pools
Abstract: Highly carcinogenic N-nitrosodialkylamine (nitrosamine) disinfection byproducts were quantified in chlorinated swimming pools, hot tubs, and aquaria. N-Nitrosodimethylamine, the most abundant nitrosamine detected, was measured in swimming pools and hot tubs at levels up to 500-fold greater than the drinking water concentration of 0.7 ng/L associated with a one in one million lifetime cancer risk. Temperature, enclosure, amine and nitrite precursor loading, and the use of disinfection schemes with reduced chlorine doses contributed to statistically significant variability in its occurrence. N-Nitrosodibutylamine and N-nitrosopiperidine were also detected but together represented <5% of the total analyte distribution. The presence of N-nitrodimethylamine at levels comparable to N - nitrosodimethylamine points to a competition between the nitration and nitrosation of amines in chlorinated recreational waters. Since nitrosamines can cause bladder cancer, the significance of our measurements needs clarification with respect to recent epidemiological results that are suggestive of a link between swimming in chlorinated pools and bladder cancer.
Walse S, et al., Environmental Science and Technology, 2008. Article in Press. ASAP Article, 10.1021/es702301p

Household exposure to pesticides and risk of childhood haematopoietic malignancies: the ESCALE study (SFCE).
Pregnant women exposed to household pesticides may increase the risk of their children developing leukemia, according to a recent study conducted in France. These findings add more weight to the idea that pesticides play a role in childhood blood cancers and may shed light on the actual causes of the diseases. In the study, parents of leukemia patients were more likely to have used pesticides and insecticides either at home or at work. Exposure to these chemicals is a risk factor for blood cancers, particularly if children are exposed in the womb, the authors' conclude.
Rudant J, et al., Environmental Health Perspectives, 2007 115:1787–1793

Cancer and globalization
Global human cancer is increasing. Exposures to cancer risk factors are not only becoming more prevalent in the less industrialized countries, but they have also become more complex all over the world. Human societies have always traded and migrated, yet the growth of powerful economic institutions and globalization is accelerating, mixing many cancer risk factors. Critically, new cancer risk factors have also appeared, concurrent with globalization: modern diet, addictive products, pharmaceuticals, and toxic and waste products. Prevention, which still rests on recognition and elimination of exposure to carcinogens, is difficult, with seemingly opposed priorities such as income (corporate or individual) versus health. The solutions require not only individual behavioural change but also more importantly innovative action of all concerned at the global, collective level.
Annie J Sasco, Biomed Pharmacother. 2007 Dec 5

Testicular Cancer Risk in First- and Second-Generation Immigrants to Denmark
Immigrant studies offer insights into the relative importance of environment and genes in disease etiology. There is considerable variation in testicular cancer incidence worldwide. We investigated testicular cancer risk in first- and second-generation immigrants to Denmark, a high-incidence country, to evaluate the relative influence of genes and environment and the potential timing of action of environmental factor(s). Results: Overall, 4216 testicular cancer cases occurred during 43 million person-years of follow-up in 2.1 million men. These included 166 cases among 344444 direct immigrants to Denmark and 13 cases among 56189 men born in Denmark to immigrant parents. These first- and second-generation immigrants had RRs of testicular cancer of 0.37 (95% CI = 0.31 to 0.43) and 0.88 (95% CI = 0.51 to 1.53), respectively, compared with men born in Denmark of parents born in Denmark. The rate in first-generation immigrants was not modified by age at immigration or duration of stay and reflected that in the country of origin. Conclusion: The testicular cancer risk in first-generation immigrants was lower than that in native-born Danes and reflected that in the countries of origin, whereas the risk in second-generation immigrants was similar to that in natives of Denmark. Together these findings argue for a substantial influence of environmental factors limited to the period early in life, most probably to the period in utero.
Charlotte Myrup, et al., JNCI, 2008 100(1):41-47; doi:10.1093/jnci/djm276