A substance called parabens – widely used in cosmetics such as deodorants and antiperspirants as well as certain medicine and food products ‘€“ have been found to weakly mimic the action of the female hormone oestrogen, which is a known risk factor for breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women, and affects 1 in every 29 South African women.

New research

A small British study, published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, examined breast tissue from 40 breast cancer patients who had mastectomies, and found traces of parabens to be widespread in the tissue.

Dr Philippa Darbre and colleagues from the University of Reading, UK, found one or more kinds of parabens in 158 of the 160 tissue samples taken from the 40 women. They found 96 samples contained all five of the most common paraben forms.

Higher levels of one form of paraben were found in the region of the breast closest to the armpit, said Darbre, and women has a disproportionate incidence of breast cancer in that area.

Not one cause

Darbre cautioned that the research cannot be taken to imply cause and effect.

“Although oestrogen is an acknowledged component in the development of breast cancer, it remains to be established as to whether environmental chemicals with oestrogenic [oestrogen-like] properties contribute a functional component to the disease process,” she said in a HealthDay News report.

“I remain as ambivalent as ever about hounding any one chemical,” she added. “I feel sure the issue is bigger than one chemical.” Darbre believes the parabens found in breast tissue come from a wider range of products than underarm cosmetic products.

Darbre maintains that more research is needed before any real conclusions can be made, but meanwhile suggests women cut down on the use of cosmetic products containing these chemicals.

Sources:

HealthDay News

 Journal of Applied Toxicology