Numerous factors contribute to the incidence of prostate and breast cancer, including genetics, environment, and societal influences. Understanding how environmental toxins affect hormone levels is crucial for cancer prevention and mitigation strategies.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, researchers investigated the connections between perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), parabens, phenols, and self-reported prior cancer diagnoses using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Study Details
This cross-sectional epidemiological study examined the relationship between phenol exposure and previous cancer diagnoses, along with racial and ethnic disparities in associations between ambient phenol, paraben, and PFAS exposures and cancer history.
Researchers aimed to determine if there was a link between exposure to phenol, paraben, and PFAS chemicals and prior diagnoses of hormone-related cancers in individuals aged 20 and older. Data on concentrations of seven PFAS compounds, 12 parabens/phenols, demographics, and self-reported diagnoses of breast, thyroid, uterine, ovarian, prostate, and melanoma malignancies were collected using a medical conditions questionnaire.
Between 2005 and 2018, five PFAS compounds were measured, while between 2013 and 2016, five additional phenols and parabens were assessed. Additionally, between 2005 and 2016, seven phenols/parabens were measured, with five more evaluated between 2013 and 2016.
Logistic regression models, adjusted for various factors, were used to determine odds ratios (ORs) for associations between prior cancer diagnoses and increases in exposure biological markers’ interquartile range (IQR) range. The study examined gender differences in environmental exposure to PFAS, phenols, and parabens and their relation to past cancer diagnoses.
Key Findings
The study found that PFAS and phenol/paraben exposure were associated with an elevated cancer risk in white women. Women with a history of melanoma showed higher levels of certain chemicals.
For white females, various PFAS chemicals were linked to prior uterine and ovarian malignancies, whereas non-white females exhibited associations between certain chemicals and breast tumors.
Racial disparities were evident in the relationships between environmental exposures and past cancer diagnoses, underlining disparities in inherent cancer risk and environmental toxin exposure. PFAS exposure was associated with a higher risk of prior cancer diagnosis in white women, while phenol/paraben exposure correlated with an increased risk in black and Mexican-American women.
Conclusions
The study suggests that PFAS chemicals like PFDE, PFNA, and PFUA are linked to an increased risk of melanoma diagnosis among women. Furthermore, specific chemicals, including BPA, BP3, and two dichlorophenols, were associated with a heightened risk of ovarian cancer.
These findings shed light on the sexually dimorphic nature of melanoma risk and suggest potential estrogen-dependent mechanisms for cancer types. Future studies are needed to explore the role of environmental toxins in cancer development further, focusing on thyroid and ovarian cancers, as well as estrogenic chemicals’ impact on melanoma and ovarian cancer pathology.
