Researchers explain women's earlier cancer diagnosis by claiming that they were exposed to "forever chemicals."
Women who had previously been diagnosed with melanoma, ovarian cancer, or uterine cancer had greater blood levels of "forever chemicals" and other dangerous compounds, according to a recent statewide research.
Published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, their study looked at potential links between three categories of suspected endocrine disruptors—phenols, parabens, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—and disorders connected to hormones.
Because of their propensity to linger in the environment and the person, PFAS have been linked to a number of malignancies and other illnesses. Numerous household products, such as nonstick cookware, water-resistant clothes, and cosmetics, include these "forever" substances.
Methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben are among the parabens used as preservatives in cosmetics, medications, food, and beverages.
The lead author of the study and assistant research scientist Amber Cathey at the University of Michigan School of Public Health claim that "PFAS and phenol chemicals appear to disrupt hormone function in women."
This disruption is "one potential mechanism that raises the risk of hormone-related cancers in women," claims Cathey.
In order to investigate a potential link between these drugs and hormone-related cancers, the researchers examined data from the 48,712 adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2005 and 2018.
The researchers also identified levels of 12 phenols and parabens in blood and urine samples, along with self-reported diagnoses of melanoma and cancers of the thyroid, breast, ovary, uterus, testicles, and prostate.
In the smaller dataset, there were 8,010 men and 8,686 women for the PFAS study and 5,084 males and 5,344 females for the phenol and paraben assays.
In the end, the researchers found that women with a history of melanoma had higher levels of many PFAS, including PFDE, PFNA, and PFUA, as well as several phenols, including BP3 and two others, termed DCP24 and DCP25, and a number of PFAS.
The scientists noted that men did not exhibit higher blood levels of PFDE, PFNA, or PFUA, which were linked to a greater chance of past melanoma diagnosis, in comparison to women.
DCP25, BPA, and BP3 levels were higher in women with a history of ovarian cancer, but PFNA levels were higher in those with a history of uterine cancer.
The researchers found that women with higher levels of ethylparaben had a decreased chance of developing uterine cancer in the future.
The study found that DCP24 and DCP25 both exhibited positive associations with the likelihoods of every type of cancer investigated, especially in women. Past ovarian and breast cancer diagnoses, according to the researchers, played a substantial part in this association.
Because some PFAS were connected to greater odds of prior melanoma instances in women alone and because some PFAS and phenols exhibited correlations to past ovarian cancer, the authors stressed that these compounds may be exerting sex-specific effects.
Regarding the connection to melanoma, the researchers said that since these tumor cells contain estrogen receptors, environmental chemicals like PFAS that behave in a manner similar to estrogen may be aiding in the development of this cancer.
The study's principal author, Max Aung, an assistant professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, said in a statement that the results "show that PFAS and phenols are potential environmental risk factors for cancer risk in women."
In addition to sex-based disparities, the scientists also found some differences between women of different races and ethnicities. Overall, they discovered that white women were more likely to have previously been diagnosed with cancer when they had higher PFAS exposure.
The study found that Black and Mexican American women were more exposed to phenols and parabens and more likely to have previously been diagnosed with cancer.
According to Aung, future studies might build on this work to look at social identities that overlap in other ways, such immigrant status, academic success, and neighborhood factors.
Aung went on to explain that this information might be useful for decision-makers and academics in "better understanding how to identify high-risk groups to strengthen prevention and intervention efforts."
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