A stir was caused by Sheryl Crow’s recent statement on national television that a doctor told her that women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car, because the heat causes toxins from the plastic to leach into the water. She also said that the doctor told her that chemicals have been found in the breast tissue and that these chemicals can cause breast cancer.
The Internet articles referenced the websites of organizations that have previously addressed this concern, including Breastcancer.org and Plasticsmythbusters.org, which is affiliated with the American Chemistry Council. Both organizations called the connection between plastic water bottles and breast cancer risk “an urban myth” and say the theory is unproven.
Just because a direct causal connection has yet to be proven beyond a doubt doesn’t mean the theory is a myth.
Phthalates, which are compounds used as softeners and plasticizers for products made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), have been shown to accelerate the growth of breast cells in animal studies. These chemicals have also been found to negatively affect the reproductive and endocrine systems, especially in baby boys. In a recent study, phthalates were recently linked to low testosterone levels, which appears to cause increased belly fat and prediabetes in men.
These softeners and plasticizers are used in a variety of consumer and personal care products, including food packaging materials, toys, and medical/pharmaceutical devices and drugs. The most widely used phthalate is DEHP. Food contamination has definitely been found to occur when plastic food packaging materials are made from phthalate-treated PVC.
As a general rule, we should not cook or heat food on most plastics. This warning is especially applicable to old plastic packaging where the surface is eroding, as the concern is based on the fact that plasticizers are released during heating. Not all plastic containers are microwave safe. Look for instructions on this on the packaging.
According to a physician on the panel at Breastcancer.org, scientists ensure that during animal studies they do not contaminate experiments with plastics by using old plastic equipment that has been used and washed many times. Don’t you think you should worry a little more about contaminating your body?
Water left in the car where the temperature can almost reach boiling point may be of similar concern. It may not be one incident of drinking water from a hot plastic bottle that leads to increased cancer risk, but an accumulation of various risk behaviors or exposures related to plastics can promote cancer.
We don’t know for sure all the causes of cancer, but we are exposed to so many possible agents that can contribute to cancer, some of them naturally occurring and some of them man-made that there will never be enough studies or epidemiological data in humans. that prove or disprove these “myths”. Some of these agents may not directly cause cancer on their own, but they may cause direct damage to genes or alter the immune system or alter the hormonal balance in such a way as to create a fertile environment for cancer cells to grow.
Another of these “myths” that have been circulating on the Internet for several years is that using underarm deodorants or antiperspirants that contain parabens can cause breast cancer. And the consensus among scientists is that there is no connection between antiperspirants and breast cancer.
However, the researchers found six different types of parabens in breast cancer tissue samples from women being treated for breast cancer. All samples contained some parabens. The amount of parabens in the samples was roughly equal to the amount that had caused breast cancer cells to grow in test tubes in previous studies.
The researchers concluded that these chemicals enter breast tissue from external sources and accumulate at levels high enough to trigger the growth of breast cancer cells. Parabens are also used to preserve food, medicine, and cosmetics. So there are many opportunities for exposure to these chemicals.
Another contributor to breast cancer was recently reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal that can build up in the body over time, has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer.
The researchers measured cadmium levels in urine samples from a group of women and found that women with the highest levels of cadmium had twice the risk of breast cancer as those with the lowest levels.
People can be exposed to cadmium from tobacco smoke and from some foods such as liver, kidneys, crustaceans (lobsters, crabs, and shrimp), and canned fish. People who work with cadmium or in refining and smelting are also exposed, but the US government limits such exposure at work.
But once again, we have the usual disclaimer: “The study does not prove that cadmium exposure causes breast cancer. More research will be needed to find out.”
There will never be extensive animal studies, let alone human epidemiological data, that definitively prove or disprove that any specific product or chemical causes breast cancer in humans. I think it’s prudent to avoid suspicious materials whenever possible. There is usually enough data to conclude whether or not a substance poses a harmful health risk and may contribute to breast cancer.
Many of these suspected chemicals don’t just affect breast cancer risk; they are often detrimental to the cardiovascular system and general health.
The consumer reaction that would ensue if available data were widely publicized could force consumer product manufacturers and food packagers to look for alternatives.