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2025
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf
This study analyzed six xenoestrogens (hormone-disrupting chemicals including phthalates, BPA, and alkylphenols) in atmospheric particles at a university campus in China from 2021 to 2023. BPA was the most prevalent xenoestrogen detected, with concentrations of these chemicals being significantly higher in winter than summer, and the overall cancer and non-cancer health risks were below threshold limits for the general population. However, infants and young children showed significantly higher risk values compared to other age groups, indicating they face greater health risks from atmospheric exposure to these endocrine disruptors. The research provides important data for developing policies to reduce health risks from airborne xenoestrogen exposure, particularly for vulnerable populations like children.
2025
Iran J of Pub Health
This study of nearly 5,000 U.S. women found that exposure to triclosan—an antibacterial chemical once commonly found in soaps, toothpaste, and other personal care products—was associated with more than double the breast cancer risk at moderate exposure levels, while propylparaben (a preservative in cosmetics and foods) showed a protective association. However, when researchers examined the combined effect of multiple phenols and parabens together, they found no significant association with breast cancer, suggesting these chemicals may have complex and sometimes opposing effects. These mixed findings highlight the need for more research to understand how individual chemicals versus chemical mixtures affect breast cancer risk, especially since people are typically exposed to multiple chemicals simultaneously in everyday products.
2024
Environ Health Perspect
A nationwide study using CDC biomonitoring data found that California’s Proposition 65, which requires warnings about chemicals that cause cancer or reproductive harm, led to reduced exposures to listed chemicals across the entire United States, not just California. While blood and urine concentrations of 37 monitored chemicals generally declined over time, the researchers found evidence of problematic chemical substitution—for example, after bisphenol A (BPA) was listed, its concentrations dropped 15% but levels of the unlisted substitute bisphenol S (BPS) increased 20%. Californians generally had lower levels of harmful chemicals in their bodies compared to residents of other states, suggesting the law had additional protective effects. The findings indicate that transparency laws like Prop 65 can drive manufacturers to reformulate products nationwide, but regulations need to address entire chemical classes rather than individual substances to prevent companies from simply switching to similar but unlisted toxic chemicals.
2022
Chemosphere
This case-control study found that higher urinary bisphenol A (BPA) levels were significantly associated with increased breast cancer (BC) risk, with a 54% higher risk per 1-unit increase in log-transformed BPA (95% CI: 1.34–1.77, P < 0.001). Additionally, genetic variation in the CYP17A1 gene (rs743572) significantly modified this association, with individuals carrying both high BPA levels and the GA+AA genotype showing a 2.49-fold increased BC risk (P interaction = 0.020).
2022
Chemosphere
Researchers measured 41 endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in women living in the Greater Manila Area, Philippines, comparing those with and without breast cancer. They found that certain perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were significantly associated with breast cancer, with some chemicals showing dramatically increased risk: PFDoA was associated with a 1,263% increased risk, PFDA with an 826% increased risk, and PFHxA with a 166% increased risk. Long-chain PFAS levels were higher in women from heavily industrialized areas compared to the National Capital Region. This study provides the first baseline data on EDC exposure levels in Filipino women, filling a critical gap in knowledge about chemical exposures in Southeast Asian populations and suggesting that industrial pollution may be contributing to elevated PFAS levels and breast cancer risk.
2022
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr
A systematic review of 131 epidemiological studies examining endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and breast cancer risk found evidence that exposure to various EDCs—including pesticides (DDT/DDE, atrazine, dioxin), synthetic chemicals (BPA, phthalates, PFAS, PCBs, PBDEs), and other compounds found in everyday products—may elevate breast cancer risk, particularly when exposure occurs during early life. The review identified food as a major route of EDC exposure and emphasized that because most EDCs persist in the environment and accumulate in the body over time, long-term multi-generational health impacts need to be assessed. The authors call for improved exposure assessments of EDCs in food and food packaging, along with careful evaluation of their links to breast cancer development to inform policy-making and regulations aimed at protecting public health.
2021
Int Arch Occup Environ Health
This case–control study in Northern Mexican women (394 breast cancer cases, 404 matched controls) measured urinary free-BPA (BPA‑F) and found that the highest exposure group had a statistically significant 2.31‑fold increased odds of breast cancer (95% CI: 1.43–3.74) compared to the lowest group. The authors concluded that BPA‑F may act as an environmental cofactor in breast carcinogenesis, although findings need replication.
2021
Int J Cancer
In a nested case-control study of over 1,000 breast cancer cases and matched controls from the Multiethnic Cohort, pre-diagnostic urinary concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA), triclosan, and parabens were evaluated in relation to breast cancer risk. BPA was not significantly associated with risk; the highest tertile of total parabens had OR ≈ 0.77 (95% CI: 0.62–0.97) relative to the lowest tertile, indicating a modest inverse association. These results suggest that the relationships between common endocrine-disrupting chemicals and breast cancer may be more complex than anticipated and vary by exposure type.
2018
Environ Health
This longitudinal study examined how exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) affects the timing of menarche in Chilean girls by measuring 26 phenol and phthalate compounds in urine samples collected before breast development and during adolescence. The researchers found that different chemicals had varying effects depending on when exposure was measured: higher early exposure to DEHP was associated with later menarche, while early exposure to certain phenols and later exposure to some phthalates were linked to earlier menarche. The study also revealed that body weight influenced these effects, with overweight or obese girls showing earlier menarche when exposed to higher levels of certain chemicals like triclosan, while normal-weight girls did not show this association. These findings demonstrate that specific EDCs can disrupt normal sexual development in girls, with timing of exposure and body weight being important factors.
2025
Sci Rep
A large U.S. study of 4,455 people found that exposure to triclosan (TRS)—an antibacterial chemical commonly found in soaps, toothpaste, and personal care products—was associated with more than double the risk of breast cancer at moderate exposure levels, with the relationship following an inverted U-shape pattern. The association was strongest among overweight individuals, people under 60 years old, and white participants, while other tested chemicals (including bisphenol A, benzophenone-3, and parabens) showed no significant link to breast cancer risk. These findings suggest that triclosan exposure may be an important modifiable risk factor for breast cancer, particularly for certain population groups, though more research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and confirm causality.
2025
Front Toxicol
The study examined the estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects of three endocrine disruptors: Bisphenol A (BPA), which mimics estrogen, 17 -Estradiol (E2), the endogenous nuclear estrogen receptor ligand, and Fulvestrant (FUL), a drug that interferes with proper estrogen function. The experiment measured the influence of the endocrine disruptors in vitro using 2D and 3D T47D and MCF7 cells, which are estrogen receptor-positive human breast cancer cells. The study results concluded that E2 and BPA increased the expression of the estrogen-regulated marker pS2 and decreased TGF 3. Meanwhile, FUL inhibited E2 and BPA’s expression of the estrogen-regulated markers, meaning FUL reversed the effects of the other two endocrine disruptors.
2025
Sci Totl Environ
This study investigated the effects of three common plastic additives (DEHP, BPA, and benzotriazoles) on Atlantic cod liver tissue using precision-cut liver slices exposed to various concentrations of these chemicals individually and in mixtures. The researchers found that BPA and chemical mixtures caused estrogenic effects, significantly increasing vitellogenin (a female egg protein) production and related gene expression in male juvenile cod. The study also observed changes in liver metabolism genes, with mixture exposures showing potentially different effects than individual chemical exposures. The results suggest these plastic additives can disrupt hormone systems in fish, with BPA being the primary driver of estrogenic effects, though the interaction effects between chemicals require further investigation.
2025
Ecotoxicol Env Saf
A Mendelian randomization study using genetic data from European populations found that specific endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) were causally associated with different breast cancer subtypes: n-butyl paraben (n-BuP) increased Luminal A risk, mono-methyl phthalate decreased Luminal B risk, and mono-iso-butyl phthalate (MiBP) increased triple-negative breast cancer risk. Mediation analysis revealed that blood metabolites—including caffeic acid sulfate and caffeine metabolism ratios—partially explained the n-BuP effect on Luminal A, while methylsuccinate mediated the MiBP effect on triple-negative cancer, and epigenetic analysis identified specific DNA methylation sites associated with EDC exposure and breast cancer risk. These findings provide the first genetic evidence suggesting causal relationships between specific EDC exposures and breast cancer subtypes through distinct metabolic and epigenetic pathways, identifying potential biomarkers for early detection and highlighting the heterogeneous effects of different EDCs on breast cancer biology—underscoring the need for chemical-specific and subtype-specific prevention strategies rather than treating all EDCs or breast cancers as uniform entities.
2024
PNAS
This study examined the health impacts of three major plastic-associated chemicals—BPA, DEHP, and PBDEs—across 38 countries representing one-third of the global population. The researchers found that in 2015, these chemicals were linked to approximately 5.4 million cases of heart disease, 346,000 strokes, 164,000 deaths among older adults, and 11.7 million lost IQ points in children due to prenatal exposure. The total economic cost of these health impacts was estimated at $1.5 trillion. The study suggests that if exposure levels had been reduced earlier, hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of IQ points could have been prevented.
2024
Heliyon
A mouse study found that ginger volatile oil (GVO) reduced triple-negative breast cancer tumor growth in animals exposed to bisphenol A (BPA), a common plastic chemical known to promote cancer, with the effect linked to restoration of healthy gut bacteria. BPA exposure disrupted the gut microbiome by reducing bacterial diversity and beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus, but treatment with ginger oil reversed these changes and increased the ratio of beneficial bacteria while decreasing harmful bacteria. The findings suggest that ginger compounds may counteract BPA’s cancer-promoting effects through their impact on the gut microbiome, offering a potential dietary strategy to mitigate harm from plastic chemical exposure, though human studies are needed to confirm these results.
2024
Environ Res
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)—including bisphenol A, phthalates, parabens, pesticides, and heavy metals commonly found in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and packaging—are widespread environmental pollutants that interfere with the body’s hormone system. Research shows EDCs have harmful effects on women’s reproductive health, contributing to conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine fibroids, premature ovarian failure, menstrual irregularities, and infertility. This review emphasizes the need for healthcare professionals to consider environmental exposures when evaluating patients, highlights potential mechanisms by which EDCs affect female reproduction, and discusses how nutritional interventions and stricter environmental regulations could help reduce EDC-related health risks. Understanding the link between EDCs and women’s health is crucial for developing protective strategies, informing treatment approaches, and shaping public policies to safeguard reproductive and overall well-being. The study seeks to advise that couples attempting to conceive should avoid endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as BPA, pesticides, and phthalates. Following this advice is found to be crucial during the prenatal and periconceptional periods, where fetal development and growth are critical in this window.
2024
Environ Sci Technol
A study of 751 reproductive-aged Black women found that the relationship between personal care product (PCP) use and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) varied significantly by socioeconomic status (SES), with different patterns of chemical exposure from the same products depending on women’s education, income, and employment. For example, vaginal powder use was associated with higher phenol exposure (a class of EDCs) among lower SES women but showed no such association in higher SES women, suggesting that product formulations, brands, or usage patterns may differ across SES groups. These findings highlight that Black women face inequitable EDC exposures that are influenced by both race and socioeconomic factors, underscoring the need for targeted public health interventions that address these intersecting disparities in chemical exposures from everyday products
2024
J Hazard Mater
A study analyzing 162 non-alcoholic beverages found that 63 endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) were present in 144 products, with concentrations highest in metal-canned beverages and significantly lower or absent in glass, plastic, and carton packaging. Bisphenol A (BPA) levels were notably elevated in canned drinks compared to identical products from the same manufacturers packaged in glass or plastic, and researchers identified two previously unknown BPA structural isomers in beverages for the first time. The calculated daily BPA exposure from average beverage consumption (364 mL/day) exceeded the European Food Safety Authority’s revised safety guideline by up to 2,000-fold, suggesting that regular consumption of canned non-alcoholic beverages—particularly by young children—poses a potential health hazard due to EDC exposure from packaging materials.
2023
Environ Pollut
A 2022 study tested 571 cash register receipts from U.S. retailers to assess endocrine-disrupting chemicals in thermal paper and compared findings to a 2017 study. Bisphenol S (BPS) was found in 85% of receipts, Pergafast 201 in 12%, and bisphenol A (BPA) in only 1%, indicating a shift away from BPA. National retailers were more likely than local ones to use non-bisphenol alternatives. These findings highlight potential health risks from handling receipts, as BPS and other chemicals can still pose significant exposure concerns.
2023
Environ Sci Technol
This review investigates the migration of bisphenols and alternative color developers from thermal labels on cling-wrapped fresh food, identifying them as significant dietary sources of these compounds. While no BPA was found in packaging, high concentrations of bisphenol S (BPS) and other alternatives were detected, particularly in thermal labels. Migration studies revealed that BPS and related compounds leach into food, especially fish, raising potential health concerns. These findings highlight the need for further risk assessments regarding these alternative chemicals in food packaging due to past findings about BPA being an endocrine disruptor. This will help mitigate exposure risks and ensure consumer safety.
2023
Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am
Multiple social and structural determinants of health undoubtedly contribute to the marked racial/ethnic-, gender-, and socioeconomic-based disparities in endocrine health; however, the contribution of environmental injustice is vastly underappreciated. Indeed, those groups disproportionately burdened by endocrine disorders are often exposed to higher levels of various EDCs, including PCBs, phthalates, bisphenols, OC pesticides, air pollutants, PFASs, toxic metals/metalloids, and BFRs. These chemicals threaten our reproductive and metabolic health, contributing to diabetes prevalences, obesity, and disorders related to hormonal regulation. This review increases awareness of these disparities and encouraged equitable healthcare for those who are disadvantaged.
2023
Toxicol Sci
A high-throughput transcriptomic study using MCF-7 breast cancer cells exposed to BPA and 15 alternative chemicals (0.0005-100 µM for 48 hours) found that 8 alternative chemicals activated estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), with bisphenol AF identified as the most potent, followed by BPA and bisphenol C, and benchmark concentration analysis revealing that BPA and transcriptionally active alternatives enriched similar gene sets associated with increased cell division and cancer-related processes at comparable concentrations. Global transcriptomic and ERα-specific points of departure produced highly consistent potency rankings, and pathway analysis showed that active alternatives induced hazards similar to BPA through shared molecular mechanisms. These findings reveal that many BPA replacement chemicals used since initial 2010 Canadian regulatory action are not safer alternatives and may pose similar or greater hazards at comparable exposure levels despite being data-poor compounds with limited toxicological assessment, supporting the use of transcriptomic profiling for read-across risk assessment of structurally related chemicals and raising concerns about regrettable substitution in which one harmful chemical is simply replaced with equally harmful alternatives.
2022
BMJ
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs), commonly found in ready-to-eat items like packaged snacks, frozen meals, and sodas, are filled with added sugars, unhealthy fats, and harmful chemicals like preservatives and flavor enhancers. These foods are increasingly linked to serious health issues, including obesity and cancer. Studies show that replacing UPFs with whole, unprocessed foods can reduce the risk of disease and improve overall health. The harmful ingredients in these products, such as phthalates and bisphenols, can also disrupt the endocrine system, further increasing the risk of developing serious health problems, including cancer.
2022
Food Chem
This study introduced a novel material, UVM-7 mesoporous silica modified with cyclodextrins, for extracting endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from apple juice. The cyclodextrin units enhance selectivity, allowing for precise detection of EDCs like bisphenols and parabens in low ng/L concentrations, meeting regulatory limits. When compared with conventional methods, the UVM-7-based extraction shows high recovery rates (94-100%) and low deviation, making it a promising, sensitive tool for identifying harmful chemicals leaching from packaging.
2022
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr
This systematic review of 131 epidemiological studies evaluated the association between various endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates and hormonal exposures like contraceptive pills, and the risk of breast cancer. It found that several EDCs, particularly phthalates and oral contraceptive use, were consistently associated with increased breast cancer risk across multiple studies.
2022
Sci Rep
A study of drinking water found widespread contamination with phthalates (plastic chemicals) and bisphenol-A, with DEHP—the most common phthalate detected—exceeding safety limits in concentrations up to 8,351 µg/L in winter and 410 µg/L in summer, posing potential health risks to consumers. The research revealed significant seasonal variations with higher contamination in winter than summer, and health risk assessment showed that DEHP exposure from drinking water alone exceeded safe levels (hazard quotient >1), raising concerns about hormone disruption and potential breast cancer risk. These findings highlight an urgent need for water treatment plants to implement better technologies to remove these endocrine-disrupting chemicals and ensure safe drinking water, as current contamination levels may threaten both human and environmental health.
2022
J Hazard Mater
This study investigates human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) by handling thermal paper receipts. The study analyzed the BPS and BPA concentrations from the fingerprints of individuals who handled thermal paper receipts and compared them to those of people who didn’t handle thermal paper receipts. The results found that 20–40 μg of BPS or BPA is transferred to human skin as seen through the fingerprint after contact with thermal papers containing 100–300 μg. Additionally, the transfer of BPA was 2.9–5.2 times higher than BPS, which is consistent with higher concentrations in receipts. However, washing hands significantly reduced the transfer of both BPS and BPA. This is important because the study also determined lipid metabolism was affected at concentrations greater than 10 mg/L. Additionally, it had adverse effects on the growth of water flees, indicating that it may potentially have some effect on human development as well.
2022
Environ Sci Pollut Res
The following study explores the presence of endocrine disruptors such as phthalates (specifically mono-2-ethyl phthalate and mono-n-butyl phthalate), bisphenol A (BPA), and 1-hydroxypyrene in the urine samples of marginalized Indigenous populations. The study found that 100% of the women sampled showed exposure to these harmful chemicals, with higher concentrations than observed in similar studies from other communities. This increased exposure is linked to environmental and cultural factors, such as the common use of plastic containers and practices such as burning garbage. The women sampled were found to have especially high levels of mono-2-ethyl phthalate, which suggests significant exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. These findings highlight the vulnerability of indigenous communities to pollution due to a lack of awareness, limited healthcare access, and inadequate regulatory measures.
2022
Int J Environ Res Public Health
A recent study highlights the risk of Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure from bottled water, emphasizing how temperature can influence BPA leaching into the water. While BPA isn’t used in PET bottle manufacturing, contamination can occur due to recycled materials. Findings indicate that BPA levels in bottled water increase with temperature, even when not at the highest temperatures. BPA, a known endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC), is linked to reproductive health issues, developmental disorders, and even cancer.
2022
Biomed Pharmacother
A review of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—ubiquitous substances found in cosmetics, plastic food packaging, and medicines that enter the body through skin, digestive, or respiratory routes—examined their toxic effects even at microgram doses on the female reproductive system and genetic mechanisms. EDCs disrupt endocrine functions by binding to steroid hormone receptors, interfering with hormone synthesis and secretion, and modulating epigenetic processes that can lead to gene expression disturbances, contributing to neoplastic diseases, neurological disorders, circulatory problems, and reproductive dysfunction. Prenatal exposure can affect offspring development, with particular impacts on ovarian function leading to reduced fertility through disturbances in steroid receptor function, steroidogenesis, and gametogenesis. The review emphasizes that despite widespread exposure to these chemicals in everyday products, continued research is needed to fully understand their effects on the female reproductive system and potential transgenerational impacts mediated through epigenetic mechanisms.
2021
Endocrinology
A comprehensive review of bisphenol A (BPA) research spanning over 20 years—from the landmark 1997 study showing reproductive effects in male mouse offspring at 2 µg/kg/day through the CLARITY-BPA study designed to bridge regulatory and scientific disagreements—found that thousands of animal studies and over 100 epidemiological studies report adverse effects at low doses, with CLARITY-BPA showing effects at 2.5 µg/kg/day, leading independent experts to recommend dropping the lowest observed adverse effect level 20,000-fold from 50,000 to 2.5 µg/kg/day. Despite this overwhelming evidence, the FDA continues to assert BPA is safe by rejecting low-dose data as “not biologically plausible” based on four incorrect assumptions criticized by the Endocrine Society as violating basic principles of endocrinology: that dose responses must be monotonic, thresholds exist below which there are no effects, both sexes must respond similarly, and only traditional toxicological guideline studies are valid. The review highlights a fundamental divide between regulatory approaches and endocrine science, demonstrating that traditional toxicology methods are insufficient for evaluating endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA, which can cause non-monotonic dose responses, sex-specific effects, and low-dose effects that challenge conventional assumptions about chemical safety, yet regulatory agencies continue to ignore modern endocrinology principles in favor of outdated toxicological paradigms.
2021
Adv Pharmacol
A comprehensive review examining endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in breast tissue concludes that hundreds of these environmental chemicals are entering human breast tissue and contributing to the global rise in breast cancer incidence through multiple biological mechanisms. Laboratory studies demonstrate that EDCs can activate all the established “hallmarks of cancer” in human breast cancer cells—even at concentrations measured in actual human breast tissue—with effects amplified when chemicals are present as mixtures rather than individually. The authors argue that EDCs must now be formally recognized as a breast cancer risk factor to enable prevention strategies that include reducing environmental chemical exposures, particularly given that the varied mixtures of EDCs found in individual breast tissues act through overlapping mechanisms to promote cancer development.
2019
Environ Pollut
This study investigated how three endocrine-disrupting chemicals (BPA, BBP, and DEHP) affect estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) activity under normal and low-oxygen (hypoxic) conditions in breast and endometrial cancer cells. The researchers found that BPA and BBP activated ERα at specific concentrations, while DEHP did not, but all three chemicals enhanced ERα-mediated gene activity and decreased ERα protein levels under hypoxic conditions. BPA and BBP also affected hypoxia-related factors, decreasing hypoxia-inducible factor-1 activity while increasing VEGF (a blood vessel growth factor) secretion in breast cancer cells, whereas DEHP had different effects. The findings suggest that these endocrine disruptors can alter ERα regulation under low-oxygen conditions, which may influence disease processes since hypoxia is common in tumors and other pathological states.
2019
PLOS One
Bisphenol AF (BPAF)—a chemical increasingly used to replace BPA in consumer products—shows even stronger estrogen-like effects than BPA and promotes the growth of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer cells through multiple hormone signaling pathways. Laboratory studies revealed that BPAF stimulates cancer cell proliferation by activating estrogen receptors and upregulating AREG, a growth-promoting gene, with blocking either estrogen receptors or AREG preventing BPAF’s cancer-promoting effects. These findings challenge the assumption that BPA alternatives are safer, demonstrating that BPAF may pose equal or greater breast cancer risks than the chemical it’s replacing, and highlight the urgent need for human studies to assess BPAF’s impact on breast cancer risk before its continued widespread use in products marketed as “BPA-free.”
2019
Environ Int
A systematic review of 342 peer-reviewed articles covering 202 unique chemicals used in consumer products analyzed exposure pathways, functional uses, product applications, exposure routes, and associated health risks, finding that phthalates, bisphenol-A, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers were the most frequently studied chemicals, with frequently reported uses including plasticizers, polymers/monomers, and flame retardants in food contact materials, personal care products, cosmetics, furniture, flooring, and electronics. The analysis revealed that publication volume on chemicals tends to surge following major regulatory changes or exposure incidents rather than before market introduction, indicating a reactive rather than proactive approach to chemical safety assessment. These findings highlight the critical gap between the increasingly diverse array of chemicals used in consumer products and our lagging understanding of their exposure pathways and human health risks, emphasizing the urgent need to develop capacity and mechanisms for identifying health risks prior to chemical releases rather than after exposure incidents or regulatory action, to enable preventive rather than reactive public health protection.
2018
Oncol Rep
This study investigated whether exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate metabolites affects breast cancer risk through epigenetic changes in the ADAM33 gene, which plays a role in cancer progression. The researchers conducted a case-control study with 44 breast cancer patients and 22 controls, analyzing ADAM33 gene methylation patterns in blood samples and measuring urinary concentrations of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. They found that certain phthalate metabolites (MEHHP, MECPP, MEOHP) were positively associated with increased methylation of the ADAM33 gene, which was linked to higher gene expression levels. Surprisingly, the study suggests these phthalate metabolites may have a protective effect against breast cancer by increasing ADAM33 methylation and expression, contrary to the typical expectation that endocrine disruptors increase cancer risk.
2018
Environ Int
A study of 54 female cashiers in South Korea found that handling thermal paper receipts without gloves doubled their urinary BPA levels during work shifts, but wearing gloves completely prevented this increase in exposure. Higher BPA levels were associated with elevated fasting insulin and insulin resistance, markers of metabolic dysfunction that can lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The findings demonstrate that cashiers face significant occupational BPA exposure from receipt handling and that simple protective measures like wearing gloves can effectively eliminate this exposure route, offering an immediate and practical intervention to protect workers’ health.
2018
Tox Lett
This study investigated how butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), a common environmental contaminant linked to breast cancer, promotes cancer cell growth and identified the molecular mechanisms involved. The researchers found that BBP increased proliferation in both estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells by promoting cell cycle progression and upregulating growth-promoting proteins while downregulating tumor suppressor proteins. For the first time, the study revealed that BBP works through modulating microRNA-19a/b, which targets the tumor suppressor gene PTEN, leading to activation of the AKT signaling pathway that promotes cell growth. These findings provide new insights into how BBP contributes to breast cancer development at the molecular level and suggest potential targets for intervention.
2017
Molec Cell Endocrinol
This study examines the role of environmental estrogen-like endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EEDs) in breast cancer development. EEDs are synthetic compounds that mimic estrogen, and the ones being studied in this paper include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bisphenol A (BPA), and phthalates. The results of the study show that of the EEDs tested, only one type of PCB, PCB138, had a strong association with the formation of breast cancer, where as phthalates (and it metabolites) but and BPA showed no strong correlation. Additionaly, the researchers identify that these EEDs promote the proliferation of breast cancer cells, induce epigenetic changes that may increase susceptibility to cancer, as well as alter developmental pathways during critical windows of breast development.
2015
Carcinogenesis
This study explores the linkage between environmental chemical exposures and cellular resistance to cell death, a carcinogenic trait. The researchers in this study specifically investigate BPA, chlorothalonil, dibutyl phthalate, and more because of their disruptive effects that may be involved in these carcinogenic pathways. The researchers found that arsenic interferes with cellular signaling pathways and induces oxidative stress, leading to impaired apoptosis; dioxins bind to aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AHRs), which alters gene expression and disrupts normal cell death processes; BPA mimics the estrogen hormone, affecting hormonal balance and promoting cell survival pathways that inhibit cell death. By allowing cells to evade cell death, these environmental chemicals can promote the survival of cells with genetic mutations and therefore increase the risk of cancer development.
2015
Environ Health Perspect
This study investigates how low concentrations of Bisphenol A (BPA) affect DNA integrity and cell proliferation in breast cells, focusing on the involvement of the oncogene c-Myc. They found that exposure to low doses of BPA resulted in significant DNA damage in estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα)-negative mammary cells, meaning that BPA can promote cancer in ways independent of standard estrogen receptor pathways. Additionally, BPA exposure led to the upregulation of c-Myc, which is a gene known to regulate cell proliferation and death., and the study did observe enhanced proliferation of ERα-negative mammary cells upon BPA exposure. This suggests that BPA may promote cancer pathways through c-Myc activation. This was then confirmed when the researchers silenced c-Myc gene expression and found that oncogenic effects in the presence of BPA were decreased. Overall, these findings raise concerns about BPA’s potential role in breast cancer formation, even at low exposure levels.
2015
Carcinogenesis
A review examining the intersection of environmental toxicants, immune function, and cancer development argues that common chemicals like bisphenol A, atrazine, and phthalates can disrupt the delicate balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory immune responses, potentially contributing to tumor development through immune system dysfunction. The authors highlight that while the role of immunity in cancer is well-established, research on how environmental chemicals affect immune cells as co-factors in cancer causation remains underdeveloped compared to studies on autoimmunity and allergies. The review calls for increased research using systems biology approaches to better understand how chemical exposures disturb inflammatory pathways and immune molecules involved in tumor-associated inflammation, arguing that chemically induced immune perturbations represent an important but understudied mechanism of environmental carcinogenesis.
2014
Aging Dis
The following review article described how exposure to EDCs during early development can lead to adverse health outcomes later in life through epigenetic mechanisms based on existing studies. The article emphasizes that exposure to EDCs during critical developmental periods such as in utero and early childhood, can have lasting effects on health since, during these periods, the body’s systems are particularly vulnerable to exposures. Additionally, the article finds a link between early-life exposure to EDCs and increased risk of various health issues later on in life, including metabolic disorders and cancers. The suspected mechanism by which these chemicals do this is thought to be mediated by epigenetic changes, which are changes to gene expression without altering the DNA. Therefore, the article emphasizes understanding how exposure during such sensitive periods in development can pose such drastic problems later on in life.
2012
Environ Health Perspect
This study analyzed 213 everyday products, including cosmetics, cleaners, and personal care items, for endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and asthma-related compounds. Testing revealed 55 chemicals, with fragranced products and sunscreens containing the highest levels. Vinyl products were also found to contain significant amounts of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a known EDC. Many harmful chemicals were not listed on product labels, limiting consumer ability to avoid them. These results highlight the presence of potentially harmful chemicals in commonly used products, raising concerns about their widespread use in household and personal care items.
2011
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely produced chemical used in plastics and food container linings, with frequent human exposure due to its leaching into food and beverages. BPA, a known endocrine disruptor, was initially deemed a weak estrogen but has shown potency comparable to estradiol, a form of estrogen, shown to affect multiple hormonal pathways. Studies on rodents reveal adverse effects at levels below and at the current acceptable daily intake, raising concerns about human health impacts about concentration. BPA’s estrogenic effects highlight the importance of investigating BPA’s complex, widespread impacts on health.