Pesticides--how research has succeeded and failed in informing policy: DDT and the link with breast cancer.

Abstract

Investigation of chemical exposures as possible etiologic factors for breast cancer has not been a research priority in the United States, which is surprising given the evidence from animal studies that environmental chemicals cause cancer and reproductive dysfunction. Study of environmental chemicals has also been indicated by the failure of traditional epidemiologic methods to account for significant proportions of breast cancer incidence with other risk factors. The fact that breast cancer risk is strongly associated with reproductive hormones is a further clue that environmental chemicals should be investigated. In addition to cancer, specific outcomes that need to be explored are reproductive dysfunction, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity. Policy guiding our research should encourage toxicologic investigations of exposures to environmental chemicals that use stateof-the-art methods to determine exposure and human health effects. Using the approach suggested by John McLachlan, functional toxicology should be used to assess the activity of chemicals with regard to these outcomes. Just as dioxin toxicity can be expressed as toxic equivalents, estrogenic activity, for example, can be characterized in terms of estrogenic equivalents. In addition to the need to undertake this kind of research, needs for methods development and creative research funding mechanisms are discussed. Prevention of breast cancer may require intervention at an early age. Better understanding of breast cancer etiology, and especially its environmental components, may lead us toward that goal. -Environ Health Perspect 1 03(Suppl 6): 87-91 (1995)

Accelerated Protein Biomarker Discovery from FFPE Tissue Samples Using Single-Shot, Short Gradient Microflow SWATH MS

“…31 We evaluated the batch effects through principal variance components analysis (PVCA). 32 Higher PVCA values indicate a higher degree of variability of a particular contributing factor. We took into account three factors including batch, tissue type, and Gleason score.…”

Carry-over of persistent organochlorine pesticides through placenta to fetus

“…The presence of organochlorine pesticide residues in human adipose tissue has recently caused concern due to their antiandrogenic and estrogenic properties and their effects on sexual activity and development of breast cancer. 1,[11][12][13] The contamination rate of tropical area inhabitants depends mainly on individual accumulation. This is influenced by local environmental pollution, diet, duration of exposure, age, capacity for elimination by metabolism, and number of nursed infants.…”

Predictors of Plasma Concentrations of Dde and PCBS in a Group of Us Women

“…They are resistant to metabolism and have long half-lives; therefore, measurements in humans potentially represent cumulative exposures over many years (5,6). Although adipose levels in the general population have decreased (2,7), residues of these organochlorines are still detected in the majority of persons living in the United States (3).…”