Endocrine disruptors and prostate cancer risk

Abstract

There is increasing evidence both from epidemiology studies and animal models that specific endocrine-disrupting compounds may influence the development or progression of prostate cancer. In large part, these effects appear to be linked to interference with estrogen signaling, either through interacting with ERs or by influencing steroid metabolism and altering estrogen levels within the body. In humans, epidemiologic evidence links specific pesticides, PCBs and inorganic arsenic exposures to elevated prostate cancer risk. Studies in animal models also show augmentation of prostate carcinogenesis with several other environmental estrogenic compounds including cadmium, UV filters and BPA. Importantly, there appears to be heightened sensitivity of the prostate to these endocrine disruptors during the critical developmental windows including in utero and neonatal time points as well as during puberty. Thus infants and children may be considered a highly susceptible population for ED exposures and increased risk of prostate cancers with aging.

Extraction Techniques for Isolation, Purification and Preconcentration of Bisphenols and Alkylphenols from Environmental and Food Samples

“…Bisphenol A can bind with estrogen receptors and unsettle the proper functioning of the endocrine system. The affinity of this compound for ER-α and ER-β is about 10 thousand times weaker than 17-β-estradiol [10], therefore it is a weak xenoestrogen. Moreover it can also demonstrate antiandrogenic activity [11].…”

Cadmium in human and animal organisms. III. Effect on reproductive system

“…Вірогідно, що естрогенподібна активність катіонів Cd 2+ -це важлива ланка у механізмах канцерогенної активності [8,61]. Вважають, що, взаємодіючи з ERα та стимулюючи залежні від цих гормонів процеси [26,38], Cd 2+ може ініціювати пов'язані з естрогенами ракові захворювання [3,19,52].…”

Prostate-Specific Antigen Levels in Relation to Background Factors: Are there Links to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and AhR Expression?

“…detect a large number of tumors, especially during the early stages (Jason and Crawford, 2011). Moreover the PSA level is known to be affected by many factors, such as therapeutic regimens, previous inflammation (benign prostate hyperplasia and prostatitis),nutritional and occupational factors and urologic manipulation; hence, the controversy regarding the role of environmental factors on the incidence of PCa, (Segev and Nativ, 2006;van Weerden and Schroder, 2008;Kaba, 2014) as well as the possible role of environmental factors on PSA levels (Prins, 2008) and background factors (Ozbek, 2014) has been remained inconclusive.…”