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21 July 2021
Breast cancer Environmental exposures

New commentary by IARC scientists on potential risk factors for breast cancer

Scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have provided an invited commentary on a new article about endocrine-disrupting chemicals and pollutants published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

The researchers who prepared the article that is the subject of the commentary analysed more than 2000 chemicals. They provide evidence suggesting that several hundred common chemicals, including pesticides, ingredients in consumer products, food additives, and drinking-water contaminants, caused human cells in culture to produce more of the hormones estrogen or progesterone. Such excess hormone production is one known mechanism of breast cancer.

In their commentary, the authors from the IARC Monographs programme highlight important gaps in evidence on the causes of breast cancer and address how data from validated assays relevant to key characteristics of carcinogens, including in studies in exposed women, can help prioritize chemicals for further study and evaluation.

Guyton KZ, Schubauer-Berigan MK.
Invited Perspective: Prioritizing chemical testing and evaluation using validated in vitro assays relevant to key characteristics
Environ Health Perspect, Published online 21 July 2021;
https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9507

Read the commentary 

Read the article “Application of an in vitro assay to identify chemicals that increase estradiol and progesterone synthesis and are potential breast cancer risk factors” 

Publication status

Published in section: IARC News

Publication date: 21 July, 2021, 0:35

Direct link: https://www.iarc.who.int/news-events/new-commentary-by-iarc-scientists-on-potential-risk-factors-for-breast-cancer/

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