Hidden Hazards
How the Environment Fuels Women's Cancer Risks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.1500Keywords:
Cancer, Women, HealthAbstract
Breast cancer has become the second most common cancer worldwide. In 2022, there were over 2.2 million new cases globally (1). Breast cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the breast tissue. Many elements contribute to the development of cancer, such as a combination of genetic and environmental factors. If left untreated, these cells can spread throughout the body often leading to death (2). This review examines the environmental factors contributing to breast cancer in women, focusing on demographics, diet, pollution, and cosmetics. Understanding these factors can help identify potential interventions to reduce breast cancer incidence.
References
Breast cancer statistics: World cancer research fund international. WCRF International. (2024, June 26). https://www.wcrf.org/cancer-trends/breast-cancer-statistics/#:~:text=Breast cancer is the 2nd,was not reported for men.
Breast cancer 101. Keep A Breast Foundation. (n.d.). https://www.keep-a-breast.org/breast-cancer-101?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjws560BhCuARIsAHMqE0GLnzYpSXmxXbzPu8cjigyO8g862a1H7tKDAs6qGxhqxRaeT8cpeB8aAllLEALw_wcB
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fact sheet. Genome.gov. (n.d.). https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Deoxyribonucleic-Acid-Fact-Sheet#:~:text=What%20does%20DNA%20do%3F,the%20work%20in%20our%20bodies
Nature Publishing Group. (n.d.). Nature news. https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/cells-can-replicate-their-dna-precisely-6524830/#:~:text=How%20is%20DNA%20replicated%3F,specific%20location%20called%20the%20origin.
The genetics of cancer. NCI. (n.d.-a). https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics#:~:text=Cancer%2Drelated%20genetic%20changes%20can,and%20the%20human%20papillomavirus%20(HPV)
Hakem, R. (2008, February 20). DNA-damage repair; the good, the bad, and the ugly. The EMBO journal. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2262034/#:~:text=Endogenous%20sources%20of%20DNA%20damage,radiation%2C%20and%20various%20chemicals%20agents.
professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.-a). What is oxidative stress?. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/oxidative-stress
Breast cancer statistics: World cancer research fund international. WCRF International. (2024, June 26). https://www.wcrf.org/cancer-trends/breast-cancer-statistics/#:~:text=Breast cancer is the 2nd,was not reported for men.
Tamang, S., & Dongare, R. J. (2023, September 8). DNA damage and DNA repair: Types and mechanism. Microbe Notes. https://microbenotes.com/dna-damage-and-repair/
The genetics of cancer. NCI. (n.d.). https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics#:~:text=Cancer%2Drelated%20genetic%20changes%20can,and%20the%20human%20papillomavirus%20(HPV)
Michelle Tong, L. H. (2022, February 3). Racial disparities in cancer outcomes, screening, and treatment. KFF. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/racial-disparities-in-cancer-outcomes-screening-and-treatment/
Huang, J., Chan, P. S., Lok, V., Chen, X., Ding, H., Jin, Y., Yuan, J., Lao, X., Zheng, Z.-J., & Wong, M. C. (2021, February 11). Global incidence and mortality of breast cancer: A trend analysis. Aging. https://www.aging-us.com/article/202502/text
Bcrf. (2024, April 4). Black women and breast cancer: Disparities and research: BCRF. Breast Cancer Research Foundation. https://www.bcrf.org/blog/black-women-and-breast-cancer-why-disparities-persist-and-how-end-them/
Stern, M. C., Fejerman, L., Das, R., Setiawan, V. W., Cruz-Correa, M. R., Perez-Stable, E. J., & Figueiredo, J. C. (2016). Variability in cancer risk and outcomes within US latinos by national origin and genetic ancestry. Current epidemiology reports. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4978756/
Wu, A. H., Vigen, C., Razavi, P., Tseng, C.-C., & Stancyzk, F. Z. (2012, November 27). Alcohol and breast cancer risk among Asian-american women in Los Angeles County. Breast cancer research : BCR. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4053138/
professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.). What you need to know about carcinogens. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/25081-carcinogens
Carcinogen DNA interaction. Carcinogen DNA Interaction - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/carcinogen-dna-interaction
Bernstein, L. (2009, October 14). Exercise and breast cancer prevention - current oncology reports. SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11912-009-0066-7
(PDF) selection of methodology to assess food intake. (n.d.-c). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11291807_Selection_of_methodology_to_assess_food_intake
Cleveland Clinic. (2024, June 27). Is Red Dye 40 safe? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/red-dye-40
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, April 4). CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/benzene/basics/facts.asp
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (n.d.). Color Additive Status list. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additive-inventories/color-additive-status-list
Recombinant bovine growth hormone I RBGH I RBST. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone I rBGH I rBST | American Cancer Society. (n.d.). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/chemicals/recombinant-bovine-growth-hormone.html#:~:text=Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), also known as recombinant,production in cattle (cows).
United Nations. (n.d.). Population. United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population
Reducing air pollution from cars. Reducing car pollution - Washington State Department of Ecology. (n.d.). https://ecology.wa.gov/issues-and-local-projects/education-training/what-you-can-do/reducing-car-pollution
City of Hope. (2023, June 1). Pollution and cancer: What’s the link? City of Hope. https://www.cancercenter.com/risk-factors/pollution
Breast cancer risk factors categories | breast cancer and the environment. (n.d.-a). https://www.cityofhope.org/research/beckman-research-institute/population-sciences/breast-cancer-and-the-environment-study/breast-cancer-risk-factors-categories
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Radiation: Ionizing radiation. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-ionizing-radiation#:~:text=Ionizing radiation can remove electrons,to become charged or ionized.
Helplama. (2024, July 16). Beauty industry revenue and Usage Statistics 2024. Helplama.com. https://helplama.com/beauty-industry-revenue-usage-statistics/
Traffic-related outdoor air pollution. NCI. (n.d.-b). https://dceg.cancer.gov/research/what-we-study/traffic-related-outdoor-air-pollution
Mead, M. N. (2008, February). Women’s Health: Does City Life Alter Breast Density? Environmental health perspectives. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235231/#:~:text=Epidemiologic%20studies%20have%20found%20differences,being%20higher%20in%20urban%20areas.
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
(n.d.). Mammary carcinogens list. Silent Spring Institute. https://silentspring.org/project/mammary-carcinogens-list
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.-a). National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Water scarcity | threats | WWF. (n.d.-b). https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/water-scarcity
City of Hope. (2023, June 1). Pollution and cancer: What’s the link? City of Hope. https://www.cancercenter.com/risk-factors/pollution
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Arsenic. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/arsenic
Bcrf. (2024, April 4). Black women and breast cancer: Disparities and research: BCRF. Breast Cancer Research Foundation. https://www.bcrf.org/blog/black-women-and-breast-cancer-why-disparities-persist-and-how-end-them/
Helplama. (2024, July 16). Beauty industry revenue and Usage Statistics 2024. Helplama.com. https://helplama.com/beauty-industry-revenue-usage-statistics/
Khanna, S., & Gharpure, A. S. (2017, April 30). Petroleum carcinogenicity and aerodigestive tract: In context of developing nations. Cureus. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5449197/
Get the facts: Phthalates - toxic-free future. Toxic. (2024, May 2). https://toxicfreefuture.org/toxic-chemicals/phthalates/#:~:text=Phthalates%20are%20well%2Dknown%20for,array%20of%20male%20reproductive%20problems.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-b). Endocrine disruptors. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine#:~:text=The%20human%20body%20is%20dependent,significant%20developmental%20and%20biological%20effects.
What are phthalates?. Environmental Working Group. (2024, July 29). https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/07/what-are-phthalates
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and water. (n.d.-c). https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/risk/docs/guidance/gw/pfoainfo.pdf
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fact sheet. Genome.gov. (n.d.). https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Deoxyribonucleic-Acid-Fact-Sheet#:~:text=What%20does%20DNA%20do%3F,the%20work%20in%20our%20bodies
Nature Publishing Group. (n.d.). Nature news. https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/cells-can-replicate-their-dna-precisely-6524830/#:~:text=How%20is%20DNA%20replicated%3F,specific%20location%20called%20the%20origin.
Szabo, L. (2014, January 31). Tanning beds used by more than a third, study finds. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/29/indoor-tanning-increase/5028431/
UV radiation. The Skin Cancer Foundation. (2022, July 21). https://www.skincancer.org/risk-factors/uv-radiation/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4_K0BhBsEiwAfVVZ_4lArqpABx22B6kK18FHX615uI0ub_C4Pcsx7hWFcItBouwTIeNdpxoCuLAQAvD_BwE
Noni WeigandNoni is a Pacific Northwest native that has become enchanted with the excitement of the Bay Area. With an endless craving to learn. (2021, October 6). Taking a closer look at allowed health and beauty ingredients in the EU and U.S. The RangeMe Blog. https://www.rangeme.com/blog/taking-a-closer-look-at-allowed-health-and-beauty-ingredients-in-the-eu-and-us/
Guardian News and Media. (2019, May 22). US cosmetics are full of chemicals banned by Europe – why?. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/22/chemicals-in-cosmetics-us-restricted-eu
Downloads
Posted
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Priyanka Jois
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.