Chemical exposure before mid-30s 'ups breast cancer risk'

Washington, April 1 (ANI): Women exposed to chemicals and pollutants in the workplace before they reach mid-30s may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer later in life, says a new research.

The study revealed that women exposed to synthetic fibres and petroleum products during the course of their work are most at risk.

The findings are based on more than 1100 women, 556 of whom were diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996/7 in Montreal, Canada, when aged between 50 and 75 and who had gone through the menopause.

The other 613 women, who were matched for age and date of diagnosis, had a range of other cancers, and were intended to act as a comparison group.

An expert team of chemists and industrial hygienists then set about investigating the women's levels of exposure to around 300 different substances throughout the course of their employment history.

After taking account of the usual factors associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, the analysis indicated a link between occupational exposure to several of these substances.

Compared with the comparison group, this risk peaked for exposures before the age of 36, and was magnified with each additional decade of exposure before this age.

This resulted in women occupationally exposed to acrylic fibres running a seven-fold risk of breast cancer, while those exposed to nylon fibres almost doubled their risk.

The study has been published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. (ANI)