Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Risk of Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cancer and the fifth deadliest in the world. Exposure to endocrine disrupting pollutants has been suggested to contribute to the increase in disease incidence. Indeed, a growing number of researchershave investigated the effects of widely used environmental chemicals with endocrine disrupting properties on BC development in experimental (in vitro and animal models) and epidemiological studies. The complex effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on hormonal pathways, involving carcinogenic effects and an increase in mammary gland susceptibility to carcinogenesis—together with the specific characteristics of the mammary gland evolving over the course of life and the multifactorial etiology of BC—make the evaluation of these compounds a complex issue. Among the many EDCs suspected of increasing the risk of BC, strong evidence has only been provided for few EDCs including diethylstilbestrol, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, dioxins and bisphenol A. However, given the ubiquitous nature and massive use of EDCs, it is essential to continue to assess their long-term health effects, particularly on carcinogenesis, to eradicate the worst of them and to sensitize the population to minimize their use.

Breast Cancer—Epidemiology, Risk Factors, Classification, Prognostic Markers, and Current Treatment Strategies—An Updated Review

“…Females chronically exposed to chemicals present significantly greater plausibility of breast cancer which is further positively associated with the duration of the exposure [ 125 ]. The number of chemicals proposed to induce breast carcinogenesis is significant; so far, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) are mostly investigated in terms of breast cancer since early exposure to those chemicals disrupts the development of mammary glands [ 126 , 127 ]. A potential relationship was also observed in the case of increased exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), synthetic fibers, organic solvents, oil mist, and insecticides [ 128 ].…”

Current Knowledge of Long Non-Coding RNA HOTAIR in Breast Cancer Progression and Its Application

“…Apart from the oncological capacity of endogenous estrogen, several exogenous xenoestrogens also exhibit similar functions. Some industrial chemical agents (such as bisphenol-A (BPA)) and synthetic estrogenic medication (such as diethylstilbestrol (DES)) are found to be carcinogens, resulting in breast cancer as well as other malignancies [48]. They resemble E2 in a structure (Figure 2) and are known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals.…”

Are the Effects of DES Over? A Tragic Lesson from the Past

“…DES was first used for the treatment of estrogen deficiencies, such as vaginitis and menopausal symptoms, and for the suppression of postpartum lactation. In addition, it was prescribed to pregnant women from 1938 to 1971 to prevent miscarriages or premature deliveries in the US [ 3 , 4 , 5 ], even though Dieckman [ 6 ] presented studies in 1953 showing that DES did not reduce them. DES was prescribed for much longer in other European and American countries [ 7 ].…”