Common Household Chemical Could Raise Breast Cancer Risk

(Page 2)

"Our original observations are that the genomic changes induced by BBP occur very early in life, and they could result in significant modifications in the risk of the mammary gland to develop cancer later on in life," Russo said.

Russo said he and his colleagues are currently evaluating how changes in gene expression caused by BBP respond to cancer-causing chemicals given to adult rats.

"We are also studying the effects of exposure to BBP before birth. In addition, we are following a cohort of girls entering puberty for determining the tempo of breast development and their first menstrual period and associating these events with exposure to environmental agents such as BBP," Russo said.

One expert said scientists are only beginning to learn how many genes are affected by exposure to chemicals early in life.

"The early exposure to BBP altered breast development and may therefore alter the susceptibility to breast cancer," said Dr. Ted Schettler, science director at the Science and Environmental Health Network, in Ames, Iowa.

Schettler thinks people need to be aware of the possible effects of chemicals on genes during early life, and how these changes can influence susceptibility to disease in adulthood.

"People are finally getting the idea that early life events can matter later in life," Schettler said. "When people see that commonly encountered environmental agents like BBP can cause genetic changes, it's of public health interest."

However, Dr. Jonathan Borak, a clinical professor of environmental medicine at Yale University School of Public Health, said there's no evidence that exposure to BBP increases the risk of breast cancer.

"To date, studies have failed to find an association between BBP and breast cancer," Borak said. "This study doesn't add specific information on breast cancer and environmental interactions."

Efforts to reach the American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry group, for comment on the study were unsuccessful.

In October, California adopted a law that will ban trace amounts of BBP in toys and baby products such as teething rings, according to published reports.

And in March, a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives suggested that exposure to phthalates could be fueling the obesity epidemic by contributing to abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in men.

More information

For more on breast cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.